Retinal Implants Could Restore Sight to More Than 2 Million People

Retinal Implants Could Restore Sight to More Than 2 Million People

“Retinal degeneration is one of the leading causes of vision impairment and blindness in the world. The two most common retinal degeneration diseases are age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which affects more than 2 million people in the U.S.and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) which affects roughly 1 in 4,000. Both conditions cause loss of vision by damaging the photoreceptor neurons in the retina — as the loss of the ability to perceive light is what leads to loss of sight.

A team of researchers, led by the Italian Institute of Technology, is developing a new method of treating retinal degeneration using a prosthesis implanted into the retina. It’s made from a thin layer of conductive polymer which is placed on silk-based substrate. Then, it’s covered by a semiconducting polymer which acts as a photovoltaic material, capable of replicating the function of the damaged photoreceptors. When light enters the eye, this device absorbs photons and the resulting electricity stimulates the retinal neurons. They have successfully tested this retinal implant in rats, and detail their research in the journal Nature Materials…”

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