'Bionic eye' offers hope to blind: scientists

[Doondoo]

People who have gone blind are a step closer to one day regaining some of their sight, courtesy of a groundbreaking "bionic eye" being developed by scientists.

US researchers at the University of Southern California's (USC) Doheny Eye Institute have unveiled technology they hope will help patients with retinitis pigmentosa regain vision by using an implanted artificial retina.

Mark Humayun, professor of ophthalmology at USC's Keck School of Medicine, said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had recently approved clinical studies of the new device, dubbed the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System. The device aims to take the place of damaged photoreceptor cells in the retina that capture and process light.

"The first phase of our implant work began in 2002," Professor Humayun said in a statement on the USC website.

"We have successfully implanted six patients in the trial, and we have found that the devices are indeed electrically conducting and can be used by patients to detect light or even to distinguish between objects such as a cup or plate."


http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200702/s1850339.htm

[Dresden]

1. This is just fantastic.......

That's all.

[KamaAina]

2. Similar technology exists for deafness

to wit, the cochlear implant, made (in)famous when Rush the OxyMoron had one.

Cochlear implants are a subject of heated controversy within the Deaf community (think Edwards' house here at DU :-) ) Many Deaf activists take the position that the implantation surgery is not indicated for an otherwise healthy person. It'll be interesting to see how this development plays out against the backdrop of the blind community and its notoriously byzantine politics (some blind activists oppose the use of guide dogs because "you are being led around by an animal"!)

[Solon]

4. I don't know...

This seems to be tested only on patients who used to see at one point in their lives, and lost the vision due to various reasons. I don't know that much about Cochlear implants, but I would imagine that for people that are BORN, or soon after being born, are blind and deaf, there may not be a way for them to ever gain the vision or hearing.

Someone who is born blind would have a severely underdeveloped visual cortex, so much so, that in later years, it may be completely gone or, more likely, many of its functions adapt to blindness. This device still relies on the brain being able to interpret the images it receives from the device, and the brain may not be capable of processing the information.

Then again, I may be selling the brain short, I imagine, after prolonged use, the brain would adapt to the device, and be able to interpret the images, it would just take longer than with people that already have developed visual cortex.

[seasat]

8. My twin sons were born deaf and received cochlear implants.

They have a connexin-26 mutation which results in a key protein in the auditory nerve not being present. They were implanted at 13 months and had the implants activated at 14 months. They are doing fantastic. At 20 Mos they are behind their peers in speech because they've only been hearing for 6 months. However, they've started to form words, attempt to sing to music, and they dance. They'll play a toy with music and dance with joy around the room. I hope blind folks are able to get the same benefit that these wonderful devices have given to my kids.

I understand part of the controversy. Deaf and blind people were thought to have mental problems years ago and there is a unfounded prejudice associated with these disabilities. Deaf culture (and I imagine blind culture) emerged as a reaction to this bigotry. An uncle of mine, who was also born deaf, refuses to have anything to do with my children because of their implants. I can't excuse that bigotry, either just as can't excuse the bigotry against my children.

[dogfacedboy]

9. Even if this might not, unfortunately, help all blind persons,

it's still great news. I have no sight in one eye. I'm in a different position, as I lost an entire eye accidentally, and not through disease or deterioration. I've always said that I'd volunteer for "bionic implant" research if it would help progress in this area.

[Ilsa]

3. Next step: athletes getting prosthetics

because they process motion faster, giving certain athletes an edge (maybe a baseball player watching the pitch).

Just kidding, but don't you wonder if someday that would be the case?

[Fierce]

5. Did someone say Eyesight to the Bline?

Talk about your woman,
I wish you could see mine.
You talk about your woman,
I wish you could see mine.
Every time she starts to lovin'
She brings eyesight to the blind.

You know her daddy gave her magic.
I can tell by the way she walks.
You know her daddy gave her magic.
I can tell by the way she walks.
Every time she start shakin'
The dumb begin to talk.

She's got the power to heal you,
Never fear.
She's got the power to heal you,
Never fear.
Every time she start to wiggle,
The deaf begin to hear.

Talk about your woman,
I wish you could see mine.
I wish you could see her
You talk about your woman,
I wish you could see mine.
Every time she starts to shaking
She brings eyesight to the blind.

-- Pete Townshend

Whew. Now that's out of my system.

[Fierce]

6. Goodness, I was so excited

I misspelled blind, and misattributed the lyrics. My apologies.

[ryanmuegge]

7. That's an old blues song that the Who covered, not an original.

Musical trivia...