Retinal Prosthesis

• US 20110130806A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Greenberg, Robert, Mech, Brian V., Talbot, Neil, Little, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,369,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/53
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye

Abstract

The invention is a retinal prosthesis with an improved configuration mounting necessary components within and surrounding the eye. The present invention better allows for the implantation of electronics within the delicate eye structure. The invention further limits the necessary width of a thin film conductor passing through the sclera by use of a multiplexer external to the sclera and a demultiplexer internal to the sclera.

Claims

1. A retinal prosthesis comprising:

an electrode array suitable to be mounted in close proximity to a retina;

a demultiplexer suitable to be mounted internal to the sclera and electrically coupled to the electrode array;

an electronics package suitable to be outside the eye;

a cable suitable to pierce the sclera electrically coupling said demultiplexer to said electronics package; and

a coil electrically coupled to said electronics package.

2. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein the demultiplexer is integral to the electrode array.

3. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said demultiplexer is suitable to be within the eye, but distant from the electrode array.

4. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said demultiplexer is on a silicon chip.

5. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 2, wherein said electrode array and said demultiplexer are formed on a common non substrate.

6. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 5, wherein said common substrate is a silicon chip.

7. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 6, wherein said silicon chip is attached to a thin film cable.

8. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 6, wherein said silicon chip includes electrodes on a first side and electrical contacts for a cable on a side opposite said first side.

9. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 8, further comprising conductive feedthroughs in said silicon chip.

10. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said multiplexer is deposited on a thin film substrate.

11. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said electrode array and said multiplexer are deposited on a common thin film substrate.

12. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said electrode array, said multiplexer, and said cable are deposited on a common thin film substrate.

13. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, further comprising:

a camera for collecting a video image;

a video processor coupled to said camera for processing said video image; and

a primary coil coupled to said video processor for transmitting said video image into a body and to said coil.

14. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 4, wherein said silicon chip is within a hermetic package.

15. The retinal prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein said demultiplexer is within a hermetic package.