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FIRST BIONIC EYE SURGERY IN TURKEY PERFORMED IN DÜNYAGÖZ

“Argus II- Bionic Eye” surgery, which was applied just 100 people all over the world, performed by Dünyagöz Hospitals Group in Turkey. Surgery was made at Dünyagöz Etiler and first bionic eye in Turkey was implanted to 44 year-old Dilek Ümran Öztürk. Medical Director of Dünyagöz Hospitals Group Prof. Dr. Ioannis Pallikaris, who is the inventor of LASIK method, mentioned that Argus II Surgery is a glimmer of hope for visually impaired patients.

Surgery was carried out by Dünyagöz Hospitals Group and its costs were covered by Dünya Göz Foundation. Medical Director of Dünyagöz Hospitals Group Prof. Dr. Ioannis Pallikaris passed his opinions about the first bionic eye surgery “Argus II”. He said that: “We are experiencing the pride of making this surgery, which was made in limited number of countries all over the world, in Turkey for the first time. We chose the most appropriate patient from among 800 patients and we completed the surgery successfully. I want to emphasize that medical and assistant team is very important in Argus II surgeries. The most important factor provide us to make a successful surgery is the experienced staff and technological infrastructure of the low Vision and Biostimulation Center in Dünyagöz Hospitals Group.”

Argus II surgery, increases the shadow and light perceptions and vision level of the people who has visual impairment after birth. It makes their lives easier. Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare disease, which is known as night-blindness colloquially, has different genetic transition features, its prevalence increases with consanguineous marriage and can cause total blindness. Argus II bionic eye surgery, can be applied to the people who has retinitis pigmentosa, have no light receiver or severe damage but their nerves are healthy. This method aims to increase the visual level of this people and make their daily lives easier.

With the surgery which takes 4 hours approximately, “Argus II” is implanted into the patient’s eye. Images are taken from the miniature video camera located on the glasses that will be used by the patient and video processing unit sends these images to the retinal implant wirelessly through the antenna on the glasses. Implant receives the instructions and transmits the impuls to the retina through an electrode line. Patients see black and white, and perceives the shadows and lights. This device is implanted to the inside and next to the eye.  At the same time to activate the device, the patients are wearing glasses which are connected to a power machine.

Bionic eye is working with an electronic glass which perceives objects in the field of vision.  An electrode is placed in the Eye ball which is connected with a camera and a glass which sends visual information to the brain. 2 weeks after the surgery a rehabilitation will be made on the living area of the patient, so the person can perceive objects and the bionic eye supports them with the interpretation of the objects.