BiONiC EYE

What is the bionic eye?

Bionic eye refers to bio-electronic eye.
The electronic device which replaces functionality of a
part or whole of the eye.
The bionic eye system consists of:
a small digital camera,
an external processor
an implant with a microchip and stimulating
electrodes surgically placed in the back of the eye.

Who will it help?

This technology is aimed at helping people with severe vision loss due
to:
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
To benefit from this technology people will need:

Some remaining retinal ganglion cells

A healthy optic nerve and visual cortex
Very low or no vision
To have been able to see in the past, so that the vision processing
part of the brain has developed fully.

Retinitis Pigmentosa
Hereditary Genetic Disease
Peripheral Rods degenerate
Gradually progresses towards
center of eye
Spares the foveal region
Tunnel vision results
Although the condition can
present at any age from childhood
to the mid-50s, RP is usually
diagnosed in early adulthood.

Age-related macular
degeneration
Genetically Related
Cones in Macula region
degenerate
Loss or damage of central vision
Peripheral Retina spared
Common among old people
The light sensing part of the eye
stop converting absorbed light into
electro-chemical signals.

Why these conditions?

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
are two major causes of blindness and low vision worldwide.
Both these conditions lead to damage of the photoreceptor cells in the
retina that are crucial to vision, but leave the optic nerve and visual
cortex healthy and intact.
This approach takes advantage of the healthy parts of the visual system
to maximise the benefits for people with RP and AMD.
With more time and research this technology will be able to assist
people with other conditions that lead to blindness or low vision.

What might the patient see?

The patient will not see as the healthy eye, initially.
Brain will get only basic visual information such as outlines.
Requires training to adapt to the implant.
With time, training and patience, people will be able to use this visual
information to be more independent and mobile.

Diagram of an eye

How does healthy vision work?

The eye receives information via reflected light.

Reflected light enters the eye and is focussed on its rear internal surface,
known as the retina.
Light receptors located on retina (cons and rods) process the light into electrical
signals and transmit them to the brain along the optic nerve.
When the brain interprets this electrical information as an image.

WIDE-VIEW BIONIC EYE

DEVICE

WIDE-VIEW DEVICE DETAILS

The implanted chip has 98 electrodes to stimulate the retina and
enable patients to perceive vision.
The device is implanted between sclera and choroid to protect the
retina from mechanical damage during insertion.
This placement also helps keep the implant stable and secure in its
position.

WIDE-VIEW DEVICE DETAILS

This implant provide patients the ability to move around large objects
such as buildings, cars and park benches and to lead more independent
lives.
The Wide-View device is most suitable for patients with retinitis
pigmentosa because it improves wide view vision with less focus on
details.

HIGH-ACUITY BIONIC EYE

DEVICE

HIGH-ACUITY DEVICE DETAILS

The High-Acuity device aims to provide functional central vision, to
assist with tasks such as face-recognition and reading large print.
The implant have an electrode array with 256 stimulating electrodes to
allow patients to perceive more detailed vision.
Diamond materials are used to form the electrode array and to seal
the implant.
Diamond is very biocompatible because it is an inert material.
It minimises irritation to surrounding tissues.
This means that the implant will be safe to stay in the body for the
lifetime of the patient.
The first patients for the High-Acuity device will be people with Agerelated macular degeneration (AMD) as it improves the central vision.

Implant Structure
Layers
1- Photodiode Array
2- Electrode array strip
3- Stimulator chip

Working of bionic eye system

Advantages :
No Batteries implanted within body
No complicated surgical procedure
Power Requirement of mill watt

Disadvantages:
Expensive
If a single part of the chip is damaged the total technique will be
meaningless.
Can be used only when optical nerves are healthy.
Difficult to treat people which are born blind.

Thank You!