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Visual Prosthesis and Ophthalmic Devices pp 159–171Cite as

Visual Cortex and Extraocular Retinal Stimulation With Surface Electrode Arrays

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Part of the book series: Ophthalmology Research ((OPHRES))

Abstract

Severe forms of blindness, resulting in a loss of light perception has a devastating impact on the functional ability (1), physiological state (2), and psychosocial well-being of affected patients (3). Severe visual impairment (acuity 20/200 or worse) affects around 0.7% of the population in Australia older than 49 yr (4), with the population weighted prevalence of profound visual impairment being 1.56/1000. In the United States more than one million people are legally blind with approx 10% having no light perception (5,6). Causes of adult blindness include age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, end-stage retinal dystrophy, diabetic retinopathy, optic nerve ischaemia, and trauma (7). One common factor with these pathologies is that once damage has occurred to neural tissue it is permanent because of the poor capacity of neural tissue in the central nervous system to regenerate. Recent experimental treatments, such as gene therapy, nerve cell transplantation, and growth factors have not been successful in restoring visual perception to blind patients (8). The only experimental method, which has successfully restored visual sensation to otherwise irreversibly blind patients is electrical stimulation of the retina, optic nerve, or brain with a prosthetic device (9,10). Of these three approaches, a prosthetic device, which acts on the visual area of the brain is the only method that has been investigated extensively in chronic human trials, and has restored visual perceptions, which have increased a blind patient’s mobility and independence (11).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia

    John W. Morley PhD

  2. School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    John W. Morley PhD

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    Vivek Chowdhury MBBS & Minas T. Coroneo MD, FRANZCO

Authors
  1. John W. Morley PhD
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  2. Vivek Chowdhury MBBS
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  3. Minas T. Coroneo MD, FRANZCO
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT

    Joyce Tombran-Tink PhD

  2. Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA

    Colin J. Barnstable DPhil (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director) (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director)

  3. Penn State Hershey Neuroscience Research Institute, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA

    Colin J. Barnstable DPhil (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director) (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director)

  4. Penn State Neuroscience Institute, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA

    Colin J. Barnstable DPhil (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director) (Professor and Chair, Director and Co-Director)

  5. Ophthalmology Department, Harvard Medical School, Veteran’s Administration Hospital, Boston, MA

    Joseph F. Rizzo III MD (Director) (Director)

  6. Department of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Veteran’s Administration Hospital, Boston, MA

    Joseph F. Rizzo III MD (Director) (Director)

  7. Center of Innovative Visual Rehabilitation, Veteran’s Administration Hospital, Boston, MA

    Joseph F. Rizzo III MD (Director) (Director)

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© 2007 Humana Press Inc., Totowa NJ

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Morley, J.W., Chowdhury, V., Coroneo, M.T. (2007). Visual Cortex and Extraocular Retinal Stimulation With Surface Electrode Arrays. In: Tombran-Tink, J., Barnstable, C.J., Rizzo, J.F. (eds) Visual Prosthesis and Ophthalmic Devices. Ophthalmology Research. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-449-0_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-449-0_11

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-934115-16-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-449-0

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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