Artificial Retina: Blindness Now Leaves Space for Technology

Publisher: The Insight Partners

Recently, an international team of experts had developed a prosthetic or artificial retina by the means of incorporating semiconductor nanorods as well as carbon nanotube patches for creating a flexible film. This film was capable of light-induced stimulation of retina and may perhaps offer a better option of treatment for people suffering from AMD.

In addition, utilizing a layer of flexible acrylic acid as an intermediate, the semiconductor nanorods were directly covalently bound to the carbon nanotubes that are perhaps capable of neuroadhesion, as per the study. The stimulation of nanorods along with the light had led to an electrical charge that enabled in the effective transmission towards the carbon nanotubes. The nanotubes were then able to conduct the electricity by the neurons following, instigating retinal nerve stimulation. And with the close association of these elements, the stimulation befell via direct electrical transfer, also needed no wires for operating. Furthermore, triumph of this approach were highlighted by a fact that the team was using a chick retina model that is normally considered insensitive to light.

Moreover, when compared with the other previously used technologies, this is very much efficient, flexible plus can even stimulate neurons with more efficacy. Also, the artificial retina is compact, unlike former designs that were making use of wires or else metals while making an effort to sense light. The new prosthetic is even capable of considerably higher spatial resolution, as compared to the previous designs that were mostly struggling in this area.