Two blind British men have electronic retinas fitted Absolute Client Services comments

May 31, 2012 - PRLog -- Two British men who have been totally blind for many years have had part of their vision restored after surgery to fit pioneering eye implants. When asked to comment a source close to the team at Absolute Client Services said “This is amazing words fail to express how absolutely amazing the electronic retina is. To have vision restored after being blind for so long brings a lot of hope to blind people throughout the world.” The surgery involves placing the square microelectronic chip behind the retina from where a fine cable runs to a control unit under the skin behind the ear. They are able to perceive light and even some shapes from the devices which were fitted behind the retina. The two patients, Chris James and Robin Millar, lost their vision due to a condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, where the photoreceptor cells at the back of the eye gradually cease to function.

Professor MacLaren, who fitted the first implant in the UK at the Oxford Eye Hospital, said “It's the first time that British patients who were completely blind have been able to see something. In previous studies of restorative vision involving stem cells and other treatments, patients always had some residual sight.” When light enters the eye and reaches the chip it stimulates the pixels which send electronic signals to the optic nerve and from there to the brain. The chip can have its sensitivity altered via an external power unit which connects to the chip via a magnetic disc on the scalp.  “Great discoveries like this happen but only once or twice in a year one that truly leave the general public speechless. This is one of those moments. It is overwhelming to think that this small microchip can bring so much happiness to blind sufferers.” said the managing director of Absolute Client Services.
Prof MacLaren said the results might not seem extraordinary to the sighted, but for a totally blind person to be able to orientate themselves in a room, and perhaps know where the doors and windows are, would be "extremely useful" and of practical help. “We at Absolute Client Services are at a loss for words great enough to express how appreciated this discovery will be. With 20/20 vision I have never really thought of the prospect of ever being blind. To be giving the hope to see some of the beauty that graces our world to those living for so long in the dark is just simply amazing.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17936302