Eye Care News

Vision Quest: Retinal Implants Deliver the Promise of Sight to Damaged Eyes

Emerging technologies successfully stimulate retinas ravaged by retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration and other diseases to give sufferers a new lease on light

By Larry Greenemeier   

Scientists have been working for decades to create an optical prosthesis that restores at least partial vision to those suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration and other retina-damaging diseases. Some retinal implants have begun to deliver on that promise, but the challenge remains for researchers to develop a technology that, in addition to providing clear images, can be worn comfortably over the long term.

Germany's Retina Implant, AG, thinks it has made great strides in both areas, an assertion that will be put to the test later this year when the company launches its second clinical trial, placing subretinal (under retina) implants in about 50 patients over the next few years. Meanwhile, Sylmar, Calif.–based Second Sight Medical Products plans to make its epiretinal (over retina) implants commercially available in Europe later this year. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other institutions and medical technology companies are likewise developing retinal implants—the retina lines the eye's inner surface and records images in patterns of light and color—but are not as far along as Retina Implant or Second Sight.

Retinal reawakening

Retina Implant's initial human clinical trial, started in 2005, improved the eyesight of 11 patients to the point where they were able to recognize objects as well as see shapes so clearly they could combine individual letters to form words or, essentially, read at a basic level at normal reading distance and in regular light conditions, says Eberhart Zrenner, the company's co-founder and director and chairman of the University of Tübingen's Institute for Ophthalmic Research in Germany. Zrenner presented the trial's results in May at the 2010 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology's annual meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. More...

 

Source: Scientific American

Complete Article: Vision Quest: Retinal Implants Deliver the Promise of Sight to Damaged Eyes

 

The Visual Eye

Visual Eye v2.0 -- an instructional flip-book Flash animation of the human eyeball.

Visual Eye covers 30 points of the human eyeball. To view this booklet, Adobe Flash player is required. The Flash player is free from Adobe, and may be downloaded from Adobe. While not required, Visual Eye is optimally viewed at a 1024x768 screen resolution. See changes file for version information.

Original artwork and text descriptions for Visual Eye were obtained through Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons -- two of the very best places on the Web for accurate, open-sourced encyclopedic information and images. Visual Eye points to the aforementioned resources; notice the clickable links throughout the booklet. Please note however, that Wikipedia content is regularly refined by its expert contributors. As such, the description that we felt comfortable going with -- the one found in the Visual Eye booklet -- may not always exactly match the description found at the Wikipedia web site. Call it creative license, and the fact that we have our own accredited expert contributors on-hand. :)

Version 2 of Visual Eye weighs in at just under 5 megabytes. Once the booklet finishes loading, controls are straightforward. Specific points within the book may be reached from the Table Of Contents. To turn to the next page, click, or drag from any corner of the booklet.

Located above the booklet are major tabs to points TOC, 10, 20 and credits. With 30 total points covered across 65 pages, those particular pages seemed like ideal interim points to land on. (read: saves from a lot of page-turning.)

Launch Visual Eye (please be patient while Visual Eye loads -- it's almost 5M!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Useful links

There are many sources of medical reference available on the Internet, and finding reputable sites can be challenging. Several excellent resources are listed below for your convenience.

• National Eye Institute -- http://www.nei.nih.gov
• American Optometric Association -- http://www.aoa.org
• Merck Manuals Online Medical Library -- http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec09.html
• American Journal of Opthamology -- http://www.ajo.com
• Contact Lens Spectrum -- http://www.clspectrum.com/
• WebMD -- http://www.webmd.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How often should I have my eyes checked?

Dr. Leaks recommends that everyone have their eyes examined at least once a year and more often if you have conditions that warrant close monitoring such as diabetes, macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataract to name a few. In all such cases, the doctor will recommend an examination schedule for you, which may be different from someone else who has the same are similar disease.

2. Why go to the eye doctor if I can just go to the drug store and buy reading glasses?

Keep in mind that one does not always go to be eye doctor just to see better. Most of the time we should go to the doctor to make sure eyes are normal and healthy. In many cases, reading glasses are all that is needed, and if that is the case, drugstore glasses may be recommended. But we must be careful not to be tricked into thinking that our eyes a healthy just because we have good visual acuity.

3. How often should I undergo exams if I am a diabetic?

Every person is different and the exact eye exam schedule will be tailored to your particular case. For some people that means once a year. For others it may mean once every two months. Start with a simple office visit following the schedule outlined in FAQ question #1. Be sure to follow your doctor's advice on when you should be seen for follow-up visits.

4. If glaucoma or macular degeneration run in my family, should I take extra precautions?

There is a lot of evidence that many eye diseases, including macular degeneration and glaucoma, may run in families. For sure, if a close family member has one of these diseases, it increases your risk for having that disease. Therefore, extra precautions should be taken. If you've not been told that you have any signs of glaucoma on macular degeneration, then the doctor will probably recommend examinations once a year. If glaucoma or macular degeneration has been found during a regular examination, your doctor may recommend that you come in for more frequent eye examinations. In addition, the doctor may recommend that you take certain nutritional supplements that have been shown by studies and clinical trials to to help mitigate the effects of these diseases.

5. Where is your office located?

The business office is located at: 2120 E. Calvada Blvd. Pahrump, NV 89048 (775) 727-8300

6. What are your office hours?

Our hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Saturdays we are available, but by appointment only. For more information contact us at (775) 727-8300.

7. Can I use color contacts for purely aesthetic purposes?

Yes, lenses with enhancer tints and opaque tints are available without prescriptive power to change or enhance the natural color of your eye. Remember however, even though the colored contact lens has no prescription, you will still need to have a complete eye examination and a contact lens fitting. Contact lenses are considered medical devices and therefore cannot be dispensed without a prescription. This is true of all contact lenses, even if they do not have prescriptive power.

8. Does Dr. Leaks provide free "Back-to-school" screenings?

Yes, during the months of August and September Dr Leaks provides free screenings for students grades K-12. A screening provides the doctor with the chance to catch a problem before a patient may even notice there is a problem. Should the patient need further treatment, such as corrective lenses; Dr Leaks will gladly provide a diagnostic and inform patients and guardians of appropriate corrective materials. Contact our office today to schedule your childs' appointment today.