Researchers work on device that could restore sight

The prosthetic retina is being designed for patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the most common causes of blindness in the developed world.

‘It’s not dissimilar to a solar cell in that light hits it and it generates an electrical signal,’ said Simon Andrews, business development manager at Strathclyde University’s Institute of Photonics.

The silicon device converts pulsed near-infrared light to electrical current that is used to stimulate neuronal cells in the retina and generate an image.

The researchers claim that it is an improvement on current solutions because it requires no wires and can be implanted with less-severe surgery compared to most prosthetic retinas that are powered through implanted coils.

Andrews explained that ‘video goggles’ would be used to deliver energy and images directly to the eye.

‘A camera [on the goggles] takes information from the outside world and electronics are used to turn that signal, or information, into an infrared laser,’ said Andrews. ‘The infrared laser would then project an image onto an array of solar cells at the back of the eye.’