Artificial Retina Allows the Blind to See

Blindness is a rampant disease caused by many varying factors, however, scientists are working on a solution in the artificial retina.

With about 3.3million Americans over the age of 40 suffering from blindness or near-blindness (and about 160million worldwide), a cure for blindness could be the holy grail.

The artificial retina is a series of surgically implanted electrodes responding to a camera on the bridge of the nose and a wrist-mounted video processor. Thanks to this technology, Barbara Campbell, 56, can distinguish burners on her stove while making a grilled cheese sandwich.

The New York Times writes about this technology:

Scientists involved in the project, the artificial retina, say they have plans to develop the technology to allow people to read, write and recognize faces.

Advances in technology, genetics, brain science and biology are making a goal that long seemed out of reach — restoring sight — more feasible.

There have been several other technological attempts at curing blindness, including the first ever Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprothesis, where lamina tissue is cut from a tooth, grown in the patient, and then implanted in the eye to improve vision. This technique is used with the most sever optically challenged patients.

The idea of a cure for blindness is becoming less like science fiction everyday. More information about the recent developments in technology helping the blind can be found at The New York Times.