Reported December 2010

ABOUT THE RETINA: We can see because light reflects off objects in our surroundings and enters the eye through the pupil. The light is then focused and inverted by the cornea and the lens, and projected onto the back of the eye. There we find the retina, which is lined with a series of photoreceptors that convert the light signal into a neural signal. Ganglion cells then transmit those signals to the brain via the optic nerve.

ANOTHER METHOD TO RESTORE SIGHT: Ophthalmologists created an artificial eye to return a degree of sight to blind patients. The artificial retina consists of an implant in the eye that receives a wireless signal from a camera worn by the patient. The signal contains an image from the camera that is sent to the brain. Sight is not restored immediately; the brain takes some time to interpret the images like it did from the retina. While the patient can enjoy some level of sight, finer visual details are not restored but refining the device will improve clarity.

If you would like more information, please contact:

William Driebe, MD
Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
bdriebe@eye.ufl.edu