Vision implants: An electrical device will bring light to the blind

• DOI: 10.1007/s11432-007-0072-z
• Publication Date: 2007-12-31T05:15:35Z
• Authors: JinHai Niu; YiFei Liu; QiuShi Ren; Yang Zhou; Ye Zhou; Shuai Niu
• Keywords: Visual prosthesis; Retinal implant; Sight; Artificial vision; Vision science; Retinal Prosthesis

Cochlear implant has been successfully applied in clinic. Recent research indicates vision implants may be the potential way to restore sight for the blind. Here, principle and common structure of vision implants are introduced. Main vision approaches of retinal, optic nerve, and cortical prosthesis are reviewed. In our progress, electrical response at visual cortex is recorded, when penetrating electrodes stimulate rabbit optic nerve, vision implants based on optic nerve stimulator chip (ONSC) and Chipcon radio frequency (RF) chip are under developing. Despite several obstacles to overcome, promising results in animal and human experiments give scientists confidence that artificial vision implants will bring light to the blind in the near future.