About 30 million people in the world are blind as a result of various retinal diseases. The EPI-RET project has sought for a technical solution for 12 years to help these patients. Experts from many different fields of science chipped in. Their hard work and effort has brought about a visual prosthetic device for people who have lost their sight due to retinal diseases.
In a clinical study of 6 different patients, the team was able to prove that patients were able to perceive visual images. This is an enormous step for the blind. Although they may not be able to see as well as we do, it is certainly getting closer to it. EPI-RET plans on marketing the vision prosthesis in about 3 years after more studies are completed. Read more here.
I think that this is really amazing. Scientists have developed implants and chip designs to actually fit in the eye comfortably. The implants destroy the light sensitive cells but the connection of the nerve cells to the brain remains intact. The implant works along with an external transmitter integrated in a spectacle-frame.
We take it for granted that we can wake up in the morning and see the sun shining, see your friends and teachers, and be able see what we read and write. For blind people doing any of these would mean the world. I know that any advances in technology to help these people are greatly appreciated.
Q4 #2
This article shows how amazing our advancement in technology is. First they mastered eye surgery to fix the eye sight of people who just need corrective lenses. But to actually develope a surgery to allow blind people sight is phenomonal.
this article is unbelieveable. The fact that scientist have developed a prosthesis to make the blind be able to see is amazing. this will reverse the blind to sight again.
when doctors tell people that they are blind for the rest of their lives, now it is not true. with this implant, it can be comfortably placed in the eye and the people chosen have said that they can see spots and geometric shapes as to what they could see before. no longer will people have to go to blind schools or have to be placed in a home for the blind because they can’t do anything for themselves.
but when this invention is releashed to the public, I think that it will give people hope. from what they lost they can finally have back and that will be amazing. for years people may have suffered from being blind, from missing the last touch down of the superbowel and not being able to know why everybody is cheering to see your child walk for the first time and your spouse yelling at you “look! she’s walking”. this will change so many lives