Researchers at the University of Sydney recently made a breakthrough in bionic eye technology that could change millions of lives. Numerous biomedical scientists have been working on bionic eye implants over recent years, following in the success of cochlear implants. The eye is a much more complex piece of biological technology than the ear, though.
Nonetheless, progress has been steady with new advancements successfully restoring partial vision. The team at the University of Sydney has made an important step forward in artificial vision.
New Strides in Bionic Vision
The researchers at the University of Sydney’s School of Biomedical Engineering have successfully conducted bionic eye implant trials on sheep. They found that it restored partial vision and remained stable and compatible with the body for an extended period. In fact, the body healed around the implant, which is an excellent sign. One of the engineers on the project commented, “We found the device has a very low impact on the neurons required to ‘trick’ the brain … we expect it could safely remain in place for many years.”
The Phoenix99 Bionic Eye. Image credit: University of Sydney
The Phoenix99 Bionic Eye works by essentially tricking the eye into learning to see again. Normally, the human eye senses light and sends electrical pulses to the brain to process it. The retina is responsible for this. Patients with degenerative retinal diseases lose this function over time, causing them to go blind.
The Phoenix implant creates an artificial retina through cameras mounted on eyeglasses and the implant placed near the patient’s eyes. The cameras convert light into electrical signals the way the retina normally would. The implant transfers those signals to the brain. With a little help from remaining healthy cells in the eye, the implant can restore partial vision to the patient.
Advances Over Previous Models
Previous bionic eye implants have functioned similarly to the Phoenix implant. The general idea is to restore sight in patients with degenerative eye diseases by bypassing the damaged retina. Scientists know how the eye transmits and processes light and images on a basic level, although the University of Sydney project is advancing that approach. It has a key advantage over previous models.
For example, a team in Germany developed a bionic eye implant several years ago that used tiny panels of light-sensitive microphotodiodes to detect light and translate it into electrical pulses. The big difference between this device and the Phoenix implant is its power supply. The German implant requires an external battery worn on a lanyard or necklace.
Contrastingly, the new Australian implant operates wirelessly. Since it is powered transcutaneously, there is no need to implant a battery, let alone carry a large external power supply. This is important to note since it increases the patient’s level of independence as well as the technology’s resilience.
Dependence on an external power source can risk the implant’s reliability. Between common battery failure, charging requirements and even weather-related hazards, an external power source creates multiple risks to the technology. For example, in the U.S. alone, the last decade has seen a 113% increase in weather-related power outages over the last decade. When dealing with new technology like these bionic implants, it will be important to consider whether such factors could also impact a bionic eye reliant on an external power source.
The University of Sydney’s implant could be more stable in addition to being more comfortable. Trial patients will only need to slip on the glasses with their tiny cameras attached, and they are ready to go. Increasing patient comfort and convenience could be key to boosting the adoption of bionic eye implants down the road.
Limits and Potential of Bionic Eyes
Could this new implant in development at the University of Sydney pave the way toward mainstream bionic eye technology? The work is promising, but the Phoenix implant’s true potential will become clearer once human trials begin. The question behind any new implant is what kind of sight it can restore.
One of the main challenges of creating a functional bionic eye is how the human eye itself is coded. It’s an incredibly complex biological creation. As mentioned above, the eye typically uses the retina to detect light and communicate with the brain. Before light reaches the retina, it is focused through the curved cornea, filtered through the pupil and iris, and focused again through the lens.
Replicating how the eye works is no simple task. A trial for one implant in September 2021 was able to restore “sight” to patients, but it was not like normal vision. People could make out flashes of light and shapes, which is a big step up from blindness, but not on par with healthy vision, either.
The challenge for the team at the University of Sydney and others will be to figure out how to create artificial vision that truly simulates the human eye's capabilities. The future of the technology is optimistic, though. For example, a team of researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is developing a bionic eye that replicates the curve of a biological one and can even see more wavelengths of light.
The Future of Blindness Treatment
Research still has a long way to go before vision can be fully restored to the blind. However, new projects in development are showing exceptional promise. The success of each bionic eye model helps push the entire field along.
It wasn’t that long ago that smartphones and virtual reality were objects of science fiction. At the rate technology has progressed in recent decades, blindness will likely become a thing of the past within the next 10-20 years. The Phoenix implant is the latest in a series of incredible advances in bionic eye technology, bringing hope to the vision-impaired all over the world.
Written by April Miller
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