Minimally invasive retinal prosthesis

• US 20030158588A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Wyatt, John L. Jr., Theogarajan, Luke, Rizzo, Joseph F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,976,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/14 Eye parts, e.g. lenses, corneal implants; Implanting instruments specially adapted therefor; Artificial eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/08 Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

An ocular device that can more safely and effectively perform all functions needed of a retinal prosthesis with electronic components that are placed outside the wall of an eye, are powered wirelessly provided by an external power source, and which provide a patient with a view determined by natural motion of the eye and triggered by natural incident light converging at the retina. In one aspect, the invention is an externally powered, light-activated, sub-retinal prosthesis in which natural light entering the eye conveys visual details to the sub-retinal prosthesis, while wireless radiofrequency transmission provides the power needed to stimulate the retina, which would be insufficient if it were obtained from the intensity of incoming light alone. In another aspect, the present invention provides means for controlling and communicating, from outside a patient'"'"'s body, a transformation algorithm and parameters of the algorithm by which an optical pattern incident on the prosthesis is converted to a pattern of electrical stimulation of the retina that conveys useful information to the patient and influences visual function.

Claims

1. A retinal prosthesis, comprising:

an RF coil attached to the outside of and moving with an eye to receive power from an external power source;

electronic circuitry attached to and moving with the eye and electrically connected to the RF coil;

a light sensitive array electrically connected to the electronic circuitry and located within the eye for receiving incident light and for generating an electrical signal in response to the incident light; and

a stimulating array abutting a retina of the eye and electrically connected to the electronic circuitry to stimulate retinal tissue in response to the electrical signal from the light sensitive array.

2. The retinal prosthesis of claim 1, further comprising:

wireless control means for specifying, from outside a body of a patient, transformation by which electrical signals from the light-sensitive array are transformed into a set of electrical patterns to the stimulating array to influence visual function.

3. The retinal prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said light-sensitive array comprises an array of photo diodes.

4. The retinal prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said stimulating array comprises an electrode array.

5. The retinal prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said power source is a primary RF coil positioned external to a body of a patient and adapted to deliver power to said RF coil attached to the eye.

6. The retinal prosthesis of claim 1, wherein all electronics positioned within the eye contact the retina within a region defined by a surface area of the retina covered by said stimulating array.

7. The retinal prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the stimulating array, the light-sensitive array, the electronic circuitry, and the RF coil are attached to the eye so as to conform with the eye'"'"'s curvature and movements.

8. The retinal prosthesis of claim 1, wherein said stimulating array and said light-sensitive array form an integral component having interlaced elements.

9. A retinal prosthesis, comprising:

electronic circuitry attached to and moving with an eye;

an RF coil attached to the outside of and moving with the eye and adapted to receive power from a power source and deliver only power to the electronic circuitry; and

a stimulating array positioned within the eye and electrically connected to the electronic circuitry for stimulating retinal tissue.

10. The retinal prosthesis of claim 9, further comprising:

a light-sensitive array electrically connected to the electronic circuitry and located within the eye for receiving incident light and for generating an electrical signal in response to the incident light.

11. A retinal prosthesis, comprising:

electronic circuitry attached to and moving with an eye;

an RF coil attached to the outside of and moving with the eye and adapted to receive power from a power source and deliver power to the electronic circuitry; and

a stimulating array positioned sub-retinally within the eye and electrically connected to the electronic circuitry for stimulating retinal tissue.

12. A retinal prosthesis, comprising:

electronic circuitry attached to and moving with an eye;

a radio frequency coil attached to the outside of and moving with the eye and adapted to receive power from a power source and deliver power to the electronic circuitry, and wherein the coil is positioned on a side of the eye; and

a stimulating array abutting a retina of the eye and electrically connected to the electronic circuitry for stimulating retinal tissue.

13. A retinal prosthesis, comprising:

an RF coil attached to the outside of and moving with an eye to receive power from an external power source, and wherein the RF coil is attached to a temporal side of the eye;

electronic circuitry attached to and moving with the eye and electrically connected to the RF coil;

a light sensitive array electrically connected to the electronic circuitry and located within the eye for receiving incident light and for generating an electrical signal in response to the incident light;

a stimulating array positioned sub-retinally within the eye and electrically connected to the electronic circuitry to stimulate retinal tissue in response to the electrical signal from the light sensitive array; and

wireless control means for specifying, from outside a body of a patient, transformation by which electrical signals from the light-sensitive array are transformed into a set of electrical patterns to the stimulating array to influence visual function.

14. A retinal prosthesis, comprising:

an RF coil associated with an eye to receive power from an external power source;

electronic circuitry attached to and moving with the eye and electrically connected to the RF coil;

a light sensitive array electrically connected to the electronic circuitry and located within the eye for receiving incident light and for generating an electrical signal in response to the incident light; and

a stimulating array abutting a retina of the eye and electrically connected to the electronic circuitry to stimulate retinal tissue in response to the electrical signal from the light sensitive array;

wherein said stimulating array and said light-sensitive array form an integral component having interlaced elements.

15. A retinal prosthesis, comprising:

an RF coil associated with an eye to receive power from an external power source;

electronic circuitry attached to and moving with the eye and electrically connected to the RF coil;

a light sensitive array electrically connected to the electronic circuitry and located within the eye for receiving incident light and for generating an electrical signal in response to the incident light;

a stimulating array abutting a retina of the eye and electrically connected to the electronic circuitry to stimulate retinal tissue in response to the electrical signal from the light sensitive array; and

wireless control means for specifying, from outside a body of a patient, transformation by which electrical signals from the light-sensitive array are transformed into a set of electrical patterns to the stimulating array to influence visual function.

16. A method for implanting a portion of a retinal prosthesis, comprising the steps of:

detaching a peripheral retina from an underlying or a serrata to create a large detachment region of a retina;

positioning a wide-field array abutting the retina in said large detachment region; and

abutting in a fixed manner the wide-field array to the retina.

17. A neural tissue stimulation structure, comprising:

a first module having a secondary RF coil and a stimulation array for stimulation of neural tissue connected to the coil;

a second module attached to the first module and having a flexible bridge containing wire connections for transmitting electrical signals, power, and algorithmic signals; and

a third module attached to said second module and having electronic circuitry for supplying the electrical signals to said stimulation array and receiving said power from the RF coil.

18. The stimulation structure of claim 17, further comprising:

a primary RF coil for wirelessly supplying the power and algorithmic signals to the secondary RF coil.

19. A neural tissue stimulation structure, comprising:

a single substrate material acting as mechanical support, an electrical insulator and as an impermeable barrier against passage of fluid ions and molecules, wherein said substrate is sufficiently flexible to conform to the eye'"'"'s curvature.