Artificial eyes and optic nerves

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the current status and future prospects of artificial eyes and optic nerve regeneration, particularly in relation to glaucoma patients and the blind. It explores the complexities of developing artificial vision technologies and the potential for interfacing with the visual cortex.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a desire to understand the advancements in artificial eyes and optic nerve growth, questioning the feasibility of connecting optic nerves and retina sensors to the visual cortex for restoring sight.
  • Another participant references existing technologies that promise improved artificial vision for blind individuals, citing a source on recent developments.
  • A different participant highlights the complexity of developing artificial vision, noting that while some devices have progressed to interfacing with the visual cortex, the results remain limited and carry significant surgical risks.
  • There is a question about the remaining functional optic nerve fibers in glaucoma patients and the corresponding visual resolution they might achieve.
  • One participant discusses the difficulty in quantifying optic nerve damage in glaucoma, emphasizing that the condition varies and often leads to peripheral vision loss.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying views on the effectiveness and risks associated with artificial vision technologies, with no consensus on the best approach or the current state of technology. There is also uncertainty regarding the quantification of optic nerve damage in glaucoma.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the unclear relationship between optic nerve damage and intraocular pressure in glaucoma, as well as the challenges in measuring visual resolution based on remaining optic nerve fibers.

jake jot
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There are millions of Glaucoma patients who lost or about to lose the sight to Glaucoma or just generally the blind which numbers in millions too. I know a person who has Glaucoma.

I just want to know what is the status with artificial eyes and growing optic nerves at present and forthcoming. The visual cortex is at the back of brain. When will we have the technology so the blind can see (even coarse resolution) by directly connecting some optics nerves and retina sensors at the back of the head (by knowledge of some minimum language of the brain and interfacing to neurons in the visual cortex)? That is. If the front is far, then eyes at back of head won't be bad than having nothing to see.
 
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I suspect that there is far more effort being put into preventing blindness and the effort is certainly paying off, the outcome for people with Glaucoma is largely dependent on early and effective treatment. In people currently diagnosed with glaucoma less than 5% will go totally blind and this could still improve.
Developing artificial vision is horribly complex but even there the device mentioned by Tom.G seems to have been developed further with electrodes being attached directly to the visual cortex, the results seem better than the retinal implants. While the brain does seem to attempt to make sense of the signals it receives, the results are very limited and in both cases the surgery carries significant risk. In devices that have an external port there is a significant infection risk that increases over time. In the case of the electrodes to the visual cortex they are only allowed to leave it in place for 6 months.
Personally I think that the greatest possibilities come from the development of biological therapies that lead to repair of the structures involved.
https://www.technologyreview.com/20...r-blind-people-jacks-directly-into-the-brain/
 
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For those with glaucoma, how many pieces of optics nerves remaining before they could still make out objects in the world and what resolution is it like equal to?
 
jake jot said:
For those with glaucoma, how many pieces of optics nerves remaining before they could still make out objects in the world and what resolution is it like equal to?
Glaucoma is really defined by the damage to the optic nerve the relationship between this and the intra occular pressure is still unclear, its not really a single condition. I'm not sure its possible to quantify the amount of damage other than by looking at the loss of vision which commonly starts at the periphery of the visual field, this can lead to an effect almost like looking down a tunnel.
This is a useful site with lots of links, one specifically about the latest research which is interesting.
https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/glaucoma
 
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