Bionic Eye Approval Coming Soon

Bionic Eye Approval Coming Soon

It appears the bionic eye will not be limited to the realm of science fiction anymore soon once the Federal Drug Administration or the FDA gives its approval for the first man-made eye that will be used to treat blindness.

A good amount of research along with the development of prototypes as well as clinical trials has passed and it appears that the Argus II may be given the nod by the FDA. The bionic eye is mainly intended to deal with the effects of retinitis pigmentosa, which is a genetic condition that results to the stoppage in the function of the photoreceptors of the eye. The condition will eventually result to blindness with around 100,000 people affected by the condition across the United States.

However, researches have indicated that the Argus II should not be treated as the answer to all kinds of blindness.

The Argus II bionic eye has already received approval in Europe and is currently being used for a number of patients. More than sixty patients have received the device and the results were generally positive.

The Argus II implants a number of electrodes that will take the place of the damaged photoreceptor cells inside the retina. A pair of glasses that have a camera will bring the images straight to the electrodes.

Although the results were varied, the patients who received the device during testing have benefitted from it. Some of the patients were able to see shadows although some have indicated that they are able to see the headlines of newspapers after the bionic eye was implanted.

However, the price tag may be a bit steep for an ordinary person since it costs around $100,000. Despite the high price to pay for the bionic eye, patients who use it will definitely benefit from using it.

Posted by George Daniels on Friday February 15 2013, 3:35 AM EST. Ref: VR Zone. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0