Towards a completely implantable, light-sensitive intraocular retinal prosthesis

Author

Humayun, M.S. ; Weiland, J.D. ; Justus, B. ; Merrit, C. ; Whalen, J. ; Piyathaisere, D. ; Chen, S.J. ; Margalit, E.E. ; Fuji, G.G. ; Greenberg, R.J. ; De Juan, E., Jr. ; Scribner, D. ; Liu, W.

Author_Institution

Wilmer Eye Inst., Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD, USA

Volume

4

fYear

2001

fDate

2001

Firstpage

3422

Abstract

A completely implantable, light-sensitive retinal prosthesis must include the capability for both phototransduction and stimulus current generation, two power intensive functions. These devices will be implanted in the eye, creating a significant source of heat that must be dissipated by the ocular tissue without damaging the retina. However, significant technological hurdles remain. The amount of heat that can be safely dissipated by the eye and surrounding head without harming the retina, depends significantly on the position of the heater. Technology for, a high-density electrode array is advancing, but high-quality wires of biocompatible material in dimensions usable for a retinal prosthesis material have yet to be achieved.

Keywords

biomedical electrodes; biothermics; eye; prosthetics; sensory aids; vision; biocompatible material; completely implantable light-sensitive intraocular retinal prosthesis; eye; head; heat dissipation; heat source; heater position; high-density electrode array; high-quality wires; ocular tissue; phototransduction; power intensive functions; retina; stimulus current generation; technological hurdles; Electrodes; Etching; Glass; Humans; Laboratories; Probes; Prosthetics; Retina; Temperature; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2001. Proceedings of the 23rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE

ISSN

1094-687X

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7211-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.2001.1019565

Filename

1019565