Can a “Bionic Eye” Cure Blindness?

A team of doctors in Honolulu have become the second in the United States to use a bionic retinal implant to restore vision to a previously blind patient. Known officially as the Argus® II, this tiny implant bypasses damaged photoreceptors and, using a system of wireless technology and computer imaging, is able to transmit visual information to the optic nerve. While this technology is promising, bionic retinal implantation remains uncommon.

According to a recent poll conducted by Research!America and the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research, respondents placed blindness in the top four “worst things that can happen,” ranking it alongside cancer, Alzheimer’s, and HIV. And like these other life-altering conditions, blindness can occur at any stage of life, even in people who have traditionally had perfect vision. In fact, one in three U.S. adults over the age of 65 will developed some sort of vision disorder – a primary reason annual visits to your eye doctor become increasingly important as you age.

Bionic retinal implants may not be common in the U.S. for some time, but other vision saving eye surgeries are available for the treatment of many eye diseases and disorders. If you are beginning to notice changes to your visual acuity, please use our contact form to be put in touch with an experienced ophthalmologist in your area today.