Unfortunately, those that have lost their vision fear that they will never regain their sight. But the advancement in technology means that this is not true. For some conditions, it may be possible to reverse the damage to the eye and for some eyesight to be restored.
For example, researchers in Melbourne, Australia have created the Gennaris bionic vision system. This is a revolutionary device that has the potential to restore the vision of people who are classed as clinically blind. The first of its kind, this device is heading for human trials and it may be able to cure injured nerves and step in to provide eyesight again. In other words, the Gennaris bionic vision system may become a product for people that thought they had lost their eyesight forever.
First Device in the World for Clinical Blindness Sufferers
Those that suffer from clinical blindness will be told that they cannot have their eyesight restored. It is an untreatable condition and this means that they become disabled for the rest of their lives. This is a devastating blow that means your life will change dramatically. A lot of people that were once fully independent now have to rely on loved ones to help them every day with simple tasks.
Over the years, a lot of advancements have been made for people with vision loss. For example, Tej Kohli uses technology to rebuild lives and he has restored vision to thousands through corneal implants. If you suffer from clinical blindness, there might be hope for the future too. Thanks to researchers, they may have developed technology that is able to restore sight and give you back that independence you crave. It has taken 10 years of hard work for the Gennaris bionic vision system to be created and perfected. Its purpose is to carry out the same functions that an optic nerve would for the eyes. The Gennaris bionic vision system includes headgear for comfort and it is custom-designed to fit the user. It is combined with a camera and a wireless transmitter, as well as software and a vision processor unit. This is going to create images, as well as tiles that sit on the brain.
So, the system operates by having images caught by the camera. They are transported to the vision processors and the software ensures that it is wirelessly transmitted to the tiles. These are implanted into the brain. Vision can be restored through this process.
There have already been trials on animals that are positive and now the scientists want to continue to make progress with human trials. This would be the first bionic eye trial in the world. In addition, in the future, the team wants to continue research with the Gennaris bionic vision system and how similar technology might help those with spinal cord injuries and epilepsy. The future looks very bright for those with clinical blindness and there may be a potential to help with other life changing conditions too.
