THE BELGIAN OPHTHALMIC ASSOCIATIONS
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This abstract is assigned to session BVVB-OBPC: Belgische Vereniging ter Voorkoming van Blindheid/Organisation Belge pour la Prévention de la Cécité
| Title | Restoring Sight through Technology |
| Abstract Nr. | 358 |
| Purpose | Using artificial means to treat extreme vision impairment has come closer to reality during the past few decades. Retinal diseases like age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa destroy vision by annihilating the photoreceptor cells in the retina. In an effort to restore the sight of people, researchers are applying different techniques: Electronic implementation of a miniature telescope: the signals form a miniature video camera are processed and a miniature projector displays the images directly onto the patient’s retina. Camera and projector are mounted on eyeglasses. Magnification, luminosity, color saturation and contrast are adjustable and can be tuned to the patient’s residual abilities. Moreover, the display can also be connected to the video output of a computer, giving the patient direct access to digital text and pictures. Implantable medical devices that provide useful vision were developed for those patients who are left with no alternatives. Analogous to the cochlear implants for some forms of hearing loss, these devices could restore useful vision by converting visual information into patterns of electrical stimulation that excite the remaining viable neurons in patients. Several laboratories worldwide are developing microelectronic prosthesis intended to interact with the remaining healthy retina or optic nerve or visual cortex. These devices use a miniature video camera mounted on eyeglasses, to capture visual information from the environment. The video signal is processed and the resulting data are transmitted to the implant by a magnetic or optical carrier. Power for the implanted circuit is supplied by a high frequency magnetic field (coils) or by irradiance from an IR light source (LED or small laser diode). The implanted chip decodes the data from the external processing unit and delivers a stimulus pattern to an array of miniature electrodes. A blind individual may be able to use this stimulation to extract information about the physical world around him/her. A completely different approach is the vOICe vision technology for the totally blind, requiring no surgery. It offers an equivalent of "raw" visual input to blind people, via complex visual sounds, leaving the recognition tasks to the human brain. |
Author 1
| Last name | CLAES |
| Initials | V |
| City | Antwerp |