The concept behind the Argus II is both complex and simplistic. Complex in nature by its intricate inner workings and the delicate science that makes it happen. Yet it is also simple in nature by what it does, and that is that it helps the blind to see.
The bionic eye, which is itself a prosthesis, is a retinal and neural implant. The system interacts with the patient’s ocular nerve by means of being implanted on the retina.
The systems utilizes a forward facing camera that is mounted on a pair of glasses. The camera transmits all of the images that it captures in real time to a circular transmitter mounted on the side. The view is then fed into the receiver that is connected directly to the back of the retina.
The technology itself is still young, and thus the images received are still very crude. What the patient sees is more like large pixels than actual sight. However, just as resolution has drastically increased in picture resolution over the past few decades, the technology is predicted to also rapidly improve and lend to better artificial sight.
So far the most notable test of the Argus II is with one Ray Flynn, age 80. Mr. Flynn suffers from AMD (age-related macular degeneration) which has claimed a good portion of his eyesight.
Mr. Flynn agreed to have the implant surgery, and went under the knife. After recover, which did not take long, he completed a series of tests.
With his eyes closed he sat in front of a computer screen and images of lines were presented before him. Without opening his eyes he was able to correctly state the orientation of the lines (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal). The results were better than expected and have led to a very promising future in the world of ocular prosthesis.
With the new findings, and subsequent approval, the Argus II has now officially gone into clinical trials.
Each Argus II unit costs roughly $200,000.00, about the same price as a home. The costs include treatment, the equipment, and any necessary ocular therapy.
It has already been announced that the patients participating in the clinical trials will have all costs covered for them.
