Woman gains sight with new bionic eye

[Zibago]

Woman gains sight with new bionic eye

• Arts & Entertainment

11 HOURS AGO BY WEB DESK

I’m sure it is one of the worst things that could happen, you have something only to lose it.

It is especially devastating when that something that you lose is your sight. To grow up in this life that accommodates that certain sense, never really understanding that it could be gone in a matter of years. This is what happens in the genetic disease called retinitis pigments. Patients that suffer with this inherited disease causing retina degeneration, start off with functioning sight then within time performance decreases to nothing and the patient is virtually blind within years. This is exactly what happened to Carmen Torres who began to lose her sight at the tender age of 18. She was deemed official blind at 45, and really lost complete hope of ever seeing again. It is crazy to think we are living in a time when Carmen Torres shouldn’t lose hope and actually has options of gaining back her sight.

The player that is changing the game is called Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System and only about 100 people across the globe have had this life-changing surgery allowing victims to gain back that sense they thought was lost forever. The technology basically works with a prosthetic and a signal receiving glasses laboring in tandem with each other. The glass captures images of what is being seen with a small camera built into the framework. The image is sent to a tiny wearable computer that is also on the glasses and transmits the image to the eye implant. Patients also undergo therapy to understand the images transmitted from the eye implant, which Torres explains is like learning a new language.

Still this new technology of the bionic eye is incredible and after rehabilitation, Torres also states can now see stars in the sky at night.



http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/10/12/entertainment/woman-gains-sight-with-new-bionic-eye/

@engineer saad @Shamain @WAJsal @Color_Less_Sky @Hamartia Antidote @Nihonjin1051

 

[Transhumanist]

Argus II: an amazing piece of kit

The eye isn't its only piece though:

But wow if it isn't amazing in its own right:

Nice to see its proliferated outside of North America and Europe. It's been commercially available in the US for at least three years:

FDA Approves World's First Bionic Eye: The Second Sight Argus II | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

 

[Indus Falcon]

@Transhumanist Any idea how much it would cost?

 

[Transhumanist]

@Transhumanist Any idea how much it would cost?

The Argus II costs about $150,000 USD, excluding the cost of the implantation surgery and training to learn to use the device. Perhaps $200,000 USD for the whole package. This is in the US though, costs will vary across the world as individual nation's medical systems are more or less capable, the US is known for its high-cost of medical procedures and medications, so this figure could easily be inflated. Irrespective, it's not cheap.

The Argus II Retinal Prosthesis

Second Sight Home Page

To receive Argus II you must be:

• Age 25 or older
• Have bare light or no light perception in both eyes: Bare light perception is the ability to perceive light, but not the direction from which the light is coming. If the person has no residual light perception, then evidence of intact inner layer retina function must be confirmed.
• A previous history of useful form vision
• Be aphakic or pseudophakic: Aphakic means that the eye is lacking its natural lens. Pseudophakic means that the eye has been fitted with an artificial lens implant (as in cataract surgery) to replace the missing or surgically removed natural lens.
• If the person is phakic (i.e., has a natural lens or an artificial lens implant) prior to the Argus II implant surgery, the lens will be removed during the implant procedure.
• Be willing and able to receive the recommended post-implant clinical follow-up, device fitting, and visual rehabilitation.

 

[Indus Falcon]

I'm praying this tech develops faster. I have a friend who lost one eye, in combat. He would greatly benefit from something like this.

 

[Burhan Wani]

Positive aspect of modern research.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

They did not describe what does the patient sees ?

Exact image ?
Just light shades
Or ... fraction of true sense of seight ?

 

[Indika]

The Argus II costs about $150,000 USD, excluding the cost of the implantation surgery and training to learn to use the device. Perhaps $200,000 USD for the whole package.

Err pardon me.....cant we manufacture it like intel chips on large scale to cut down the cost.

 

[I S I]

So basically you will have to sell your lungs, kidney & heart to get an eye.

What a steal. I'll pre-order 2.

Err pardon me.....cant we manufacture it like intel chips on large scale to cut down the cost.

Not enough demand b/c it's pricy as F.

 

[Shamain]

amazing

 

[Patriot Pakistani]

so science is making progress(villager style)

 

[Archie]

It's still expensive
At 200000 USD, only the rich will see again
At 2000 USD, it would be a game changer

 

[Gauss]

blindness is one thing technology will solve completely in the future.

 

[RoadRunner401]

So basically you will have to sell your lungs, kidney & heart to get an eye.

What a steal. I'll pre-order 2.


Not enough demand b/c it's pricy as F.

Pre-Order requires down payment of Heart or Kidneys.

 

[I S I]

Pre-Order requires down payment of Heart or Kidneys.

Leftover payment can be settled for balls & crotch.