Bring Light Into Your Eyes With Artificial Retina

By Suparna Chakaraborthy

Wednesday, February 16, 2011, 11:00

For those who have lost eye sight and hope of ever being able to see again, get a boon in the form of the Artificial Retina called Argus II. The Artificial Retina is the discovery of the a US based company called Second Sight.

The Artificial Retina Argus II is surgically inserted into the patients eye and it works with a tiny video camera and transmitter. This is attached in a pair of glasses and a small wireless camera which the patient needs to carry with him. The camera is so designed that it converts the visual information into electronic signals. This is done by stimulating healthy cells of the eyes, which results in relaying the data to the optic nerve.

From there after it depends on the patient to decode the information which is sent through the optic nerve to the brain. The visual information is translated into patterns of light, to be understood by the brain. For example for a triangle, the signal might be three dots.

Eric Selby, who has been blind for nearly two decades, has now got back his lost sight with Argus II, Artificial Retina, by allowing him to detect light. Eric Selby has the Argus II fixed to his right eyes and can now walk his way to his destination alone. Researchers believe that it can also provide sight to people who are suffering from hereditary blindness. The Artificial Retina, Argus II costs 0,000.