Implants are being developed which mimic photoreceptors of the light-sensitive retinal tissue at the back of the eye. To date these have been rigid which are very difficult to fit to the back of the eye. Now however, the first flexible retinal implant has been developed and is under testing. Conditions such as age-related macular degeneration could be treated by these new implants. A glasses mounted micro-camera would capture images and beam them onto the implant in the form of near infra-red signals. The implant then converts the light signal to electric impulses which create a pattern which is fed into the neural tissue in the vicinity. The implants have been developed by Rostram Dinyari at Stanford University.
While current cutting edge ophthalmic technology may seem like science fiction, it was only around 20 years ago that techniques used widely today, such as phaecoemulsification and even simple intra-ocular-implants seemed also in that bracket.
Rose Charities supports a spectrum of ophthalmic assistance from training of community eye workers through optometry, ophthalmic medicine and surgery to restore sight or prevent blindness to corneal transplant ‘eye banks’ . Rose Charities New Zealand is foremost in this area in the Rose Charities network.
