Bionic Eye: A Glance at the Argus II retinal prosthesis

Abstract

The Argus II retinal prosthesis is a promising new artificial vision restoration technology that, after years of extensive research, is now being implemented on a commercial basis. It is currently the only retinal implant to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Canada, and the Conformite Europeenne. As of now, it is strictly indicated for patients with retinitis pigmentosa and a history of prior useful vision that has worsened to the point of bare light perception or no light perception vision in both eyes. It utilizes an electrode array to stimulate residual retinal ganglion cells, which relay through the visual processing system to the visual cortex and allow the patient to perceive spatial and temporal patterns of lights. The largest prospective multi-center clinical study involving the Argus II implant found that patients demonstrated significant visual improvement as measured by performance on square localization, grating visual acuity, and direction of motion tasks. Recipients also exhibited functional visual improvements as assessed by a door task, line task, and the Functional Low Vision Observer Rated Assessment (FLORA). This was noted for up to three years following implantation of the device. Both in the research and commercial setting, the Argus II technology has proven to be incredibly promising. Ongoing research is directed at improving the existing Argus II technology, developing next-generation devices, and expanding indications of vision restoration to those who do not currently meet Argus II indications.