Bionic eye! But can the blind see?

In the 21st Century, Mark Humayun, a professor of ophthalmology and Biomedical engineering in the University of Southern California of Los Angeles, has developed the bionic eye to restore vision to many blind people. Through the process of merging medical science and engineering, this invention is a miracle for people suffering from hereditary retinal deteriorating diseases that results in blindness at an old age.

Bionic Eye 

Bionic Eye is an artificially made eye that provides visual impressions to the brain. It consists of microprocessor, receivers, radio transmitters, retinal chips as well as an electronic system that has image sensors. In the present world, it is estimated that almost 40 to 45 million people are suffering from blindness and almost 135 million suffer from low visions. The motive of bionic eye is to restore visual signal for those who are suffering from various eye diseases. The bionic eye has a computer chip that is placed in the back of an effected person's eye and is linked with a mini video camera that is stored in a glass that the person wears. An image captured by the camera are fixated into the chip which converts it into electronic signal and thus the brain can interpret it.

Usefulness of Bionic Eye 

The technology can restore partial vision to users but cannot restore full vision. Most of the current models encompass both internal implants and external cameras. Advancement of bionic eyes consist of specialists across a wide range of fields. Developing the technology of bionic eyes could, in the future, potentially address most forms of vision loss.

• It identifies the position or movement of objects and people
• It helps other activities of daily life, such as walking on sidewalk without stepping off
• It has upgradable external hardware and software to benefit from future innovations
• It helps cure vision related problems
• Bionic vision does not require a patient to go under complicated surgeries
• Bionic vision is still initial in its visual way
• Bionic vision does not need any battery to be implanted with human body
• This helps correct vision
• This can be easily implant 

Future in Bionic Eye

 

The successful development of a bionic eye has the potential to change lives in a very real way. Restoring basic sides to those with impaired vision will allow them to become more independent and return them some of the quality of life they lost when their vision disappeared. Bionic devices are improved to do more than replace defective parts. Researchers are using it to fight illness. To provide power to the bionic implants and lessen people suffering. Restoring the sight for the blind is no more a dream for people today. Bionic eyes have given hopes to people with vision loss to see. But still, there are lot of challenges that are needed to be faced before this technology reaches to common people.