The Bionic Eye

Andrew Rosenberg

Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering – BME 181

 Healthy Vision
1. Reflected light enters the cornea (Window of the eye)

2. Light travels through the pupil

- Contracts or dilates depending on how brightness of
surroundings

3. Light enters the lens

- Just like a camera, the lens of the eye focuses light

4. The light beams through the center of the eye to the retina

5. Retina:
- Photoreceptors (Specialized cells that convert light
into electric impulses)
- Macula (Center of the retina that contains more
photoreceptors than any other part of eye)
 Reasons for Bionic Eye
Macular Degeneration Retinitis Pigmentosa
- Age Related
- Genetic
- Loss of central vision and
blurred peripheral vision - Loss of peripheral vision inward

- Macula deteriorates over time - Photoreceptors in periphery

deteriorate
- Vision becomes gray
- 1.5 million people world-wide
- 10% of adults over age 55
world-wide
 Components (The Argus®II)

Internal Parts

External Parts
 Eligibility, Procedure, and Cost
- Must have Retinitis Pigmentosa *Newer models will work with Macular Degeneration

- Showing later symptoms of disease

- 2 to 5 hour surgical procedure for internal parts

- Small incision, minimal scarring, and uncomplicated

- Return to hospital for external fitting and programming

- Training and therapy

- Patients must learn to recognize objects with bionic eye

- $115,000 in Europe before surgery

- $150,000 in U.S.A. before surgery

- Insurance companies will help more as the technology improves

 Benefits & Future Outlook
- Partial restoration of vision

- Gain more independence

- Able to view objects on a larger scale

- Upgradable software
- If newer technology is released further surgery is unnecessary

1. Argus®I (Prototype)
- 16 pixels of resolution
- 15 seconds to recognize an object

2. Argus®II (On the Market)

- 60 pixels of resolution
- 2 to 3 seconds to recognize an object

3. Argus®III (In Progress)

- 200 pixels of resolution
- Recognition time unavailable
 Works Cited
"Argus II The First “Bionic Eye”." Planet Infowars Site Wide Activity RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2013.
http://planet.infowars.com/technology/argus-ii-the-first-bionic-eye-to-gain-approval-for-sale-in-u-s

Gadala, Avinash. "Argus II Artificial Retina." Brainstorm.org. N.p., 2012. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.
http://www.brainstrom.org/2012/07/24/argus-ii-artificail-retina/

"How the Human Eye Sees." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. http://www.webmd.com/eye-
health/amazing-human-eye

"Retinitis Pigmentosa." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Mar. 2013. Web. 23 Mar. 2013.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinitis_pigmentosa

"Second Sight." Mission. Second Sight Medical Products, Inc., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2013. http://2-
sight.eu/en/home-en