Retinal prostheses: clinical results and future challenges

Serge Picaud; José-Alain Sahel

doi:10.1016/j.crvi.2014.01.001

Retinal prostheses: clinical results and future challenges

C R Biol. 2014 Mar;337(3):214-22. doi: 10.1016/j.crvi.2014.01.001. Epub 2014 Feb 26.

Authors

Serge Picaud¹, José-Alain Sahel²

Affiliations

¹ Inserm, U968, Institut de la Vision, 17, rue Moreau, 75012 Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris-6), UMR S968, Institut de la Vision, 17, rue Moreau, 75012 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR 7210, Institut de la Vision, 17, rue Moreau, 75012 Paris, France; Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de Rothschild, 75019 Paris, France. Electronic address: serge.picaud@inserm.fr.
² Inserm, U968, Institut de la Vision, 17, rue Moreau, 75012 Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris-6), UMR S968, Institut de la Vision, 17, rue Moreau, 75012 Paris, France; CNRS, UMR 7210, Institut de la Vision, 17, rue Moreau, 75012 Paris, France; Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de Rothschild, 75019 Paris, France; Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts, 75012 Paris, France; Institute of Ophthalmology, University College of London, London EC1V 9EL, United Kingdom; Académie des sciences, Institut de France, 23, quai de Conti, 75006 Paris, France.

PMID: 24702848
DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2014.01.001

Abstract

Retinal prostheses aim at restoring visual perception in blind patients affected by retinal diseases leading to the loss of photoreceptors, such as age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated the feasibility of this approach for restoring useful vision. Despite a limited number of electrodes (60), and therefore of pixels, some patients were able to read words and to recognize high-contrast objects. Face recognition and independent locomotion in unknown urban environments imply technological breakthroughs to increase the number and density of electrodes. This review presents recent clinical results and discusses future solutions to answer the major technological challenges.

Keywords: Blindness; Cécité; Neuroprostheses; Neuroprothèses; Rehabilitation; Retina; Réhabilitation; Rétine; Vision.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Blindness / therapy
Clinical Trials as Topic
Electrodes
Humans
Prosthesis Design
Retina / physiology*
Retinitis Pigmentosa / therapy
Vision Disorders / therapy*
Vision, Ocular / physiology*
Visual Prosthesis*