GENERAL DESCRIPTION

WHAT IS RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA (NIGHT BLINDNESS)?

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. In this disease, light receivers die in time and lose its function.

WHAT IS A BIONIC EYE?

It is also known as Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System or the retinal implant. This method aims to increase the visual level of these people and make their daily lives easier by increasing detection of shadows and light.

WHO CAN HAVE BIONIC EYE SURGERY?

Patients who

Have no light receiver or severe damage but their nerves are healthy,

Are over 25 years old,

Can perceive light by single eye,

Lost their vision due to Retinitis pigmentosa can have bionic eye surgery.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

With the surgery which takes approximately 4 hours, Argus II which is composed of two pieces, is implanted into the patient’s eye. Bionic eye works with an electronic goggle which allows the perception of objects at patient’s eyesight. There is a camera on the goggle and is connected to a power device to activate the implant. Images which are taken from the miniature video camera located on the goggles are processed in the video processor unit and then transmitted to the retinal implant via the antenna on the goggle wirelessly. Implant receives the instructions and transmits the impulses to the retina through an electrode array. Patients see black and white, and their perception of the shadows and lights increases.

AFTER THE SURGERY, PATIENT’S DAILY LIFE BECOMES EASIER.

After the surgery a rehabilitation process performed in the living area of the patient starts. Patients see black and white, and their perception of the shadows and lights increases. During this process the patient is educated on the perception of people and objects and how to interpret they see with the bionic eye.