Australia’s Monash University has created a revolutionary technology that aims to provide a cure for blindness by developing the world’s first implantable bionic human eye. After years of research and extensive testing, the university has successfully trialed its prototype device in live sheep in July, paving the way for clinical trials in humans.
The project, spearheaded by Professor Arthur Lowery and his team, is a collaboration between the university and German company, RETINA Implant AG. It involves the use of a tiny camera that is fitted into a pair of glasses which capture images in real-time. The images are then processed and sent wirelessly to a set of electrodes implanted on the retina, providing artificial vision for people who have lost their sight due to degenerative eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.
The bionic eye developed by Monash University is about one-third of an inch square and approximately one-tenth of a millimeter thick. It is made up of over 800 tiny electrodes which are implanted in the surface of the retina. These electrodes stimulate the remaining healthy retinal cells, thereby creating visual patterns that are transmitted to the brain through the optic nerve, providing the user with instant visual feedback.
The technology is designed to help people with limited or no vision to perform daily activities such as reading, detecting obstacles, and identifying faces. Professor Lowery explained, “This system has the potential to offer sight to hundreds of thousands or even millions of people who have lost their vision due to degenerative eye diseases. Through this technology, we can offer people the ability to regain a sense of independence and freedom that they may have lost after losing the ability to see”.
The bionic eye developed by Monash University and RETINA Implant AG has been subjected to extensive testing, which included simulated eye surgeries and live sheep trials. The sheep test was a critical step in the development of the bionic eye as their eye structure closely simulates that of humans. The results of the trials were highly encouraging with the bionic eye proving to be safe and effective.
The next step for the Monash University team is to move ahead with clinical trials in human subjects. If successful, the bionic eye could become a game-changer in the field of medical technology, offering a new hope to the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who suffer from blindness.
In conclusion, the world’s first implantable bionic human eye developed by Australia’s Monash University is a breakthrough invention that has the potential to change the lives of millions of people affected by blindness. The technology has undergone extensive testing and proven to be safe and effective in trials with live sheep. If successful in clinical trials with humans, it will offer a new hope for people affected by degenerative eye diseases, giving them an opportunity to regain their independence and a sense of freedom they may have lost due to their vision loss.
#BionicEye #MonashUniversity #MedicalInnovation #ArtificialVision #BlindnessCure
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