Bionic Eyes V/S Prosthetic Eyes

In contrast to prosthetic eyes, the bionic eye is not equivalent to them. In prosthetic eyes (also known as glass eyes or artificial eyes), the physical structure and appearance of an eye are replaced when the original is removed due to trauma, pain, disfigurement, or disease. By contrast, bionic eye implants operate directly inside the existing structures of the eye or in the brain. Rather than being purely cosmetic, functional glasses are designed to improve vision.

An electrode array is implanted onto a blind person’s damaged retina using the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System, which consists of a tiny eyeglass-mounted camera and a transmitter that wirelessly transmits signals.

In the same way, no single cause can cause blindness, there is no single cure. Knowing the reason(s) behind your vision loss is the first step to determining whether a bionic eye could help you.

The process of seeing begins with the passage of light into the eye. Light from the cornea and lens is focused onto the retina at the back of the eyeball. After the retina receives the concentrated light, its light-sensitive cells convert it into electrical energy, which is sent to the brain through the optic nerve.

Some parts of this process don’t function for blind people. When the cornea or lens is damaged or diseased, or the retina has difficulty detecting light, eye problems can occur. Another explanation is the visual signal is lost somewhere along the pathway to the brain.

Depending on the model, the bionic eye targets different areas in the visual pathway. Currently, retinal implants are the only bionic eyes that are approved and commercially available, though corneal transplants and cataract surgery can replace the cornea and lens if these structures are cloudy or incapable of focusing light for other reasons.