The ArgusTM II retinal prosthesis restores some sight to the blind

The Argus™ II is the second generation of an electronic retinal implant designed for the treatment of progressive blindness due to inherited eye diseases that result in photoreceptor degeneration, such as Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and Macular Degeneration. The first generation Argus™ 16 prosthesis was implanted in six RP subjects between 2002 and 2004 and has enabled them to detect when lights are on or off and also to locate, differentiate, and describe the motion of basic objects in an environment. The Argus™ II implant consists of an array of 60 independently controllable electrodes that are attached to the retina. A microprocessor determines the stimulation current of each electrode based on the brightness at the corresponding area of the scene, which is captured in real-time by a miniature video camera mounted on a pair of sunglasses. The electrodes stimulate visual cells spared by the disease, creating spots of light and providing a rudimentary form of sight to implanted subjects. Second Sight® Medical Products, Inc. has enrolled subjects in the US, Mexico and Europe as part of a clinical study to examine the safety and effectiveness of the Argus™ II Retinal Prosthesis System. This talk will describe the underlying principles of the system, the current status of our clinical study, and the plans for future research and development of retinal prostheses.