Sight-restoring visual prosthetic and method using infrared nerve-stimulation light
First Claim
1. A system to aid in treating a vision problem of an eye of a person, wherein the eye has a retina having at least one functional nerve layer, and wherein at least part of the system is immediately in front of the eye of the person, the system comprising:
- an ocular implant adapted to be implanted at least in part within the eye of the person, wherein the ocular implant has a light-receiving anterior end closest to the eye'"'"'s anterior surface, and extends to a posterior end that is closer to the eye'"'"'s fovea than to the eye'"'"'s anterior surface;
at least one imager that obtains a temporal sequence of images of a scene and converts the sequence of images into digital-image signals, the at least one imager having a field of view facing away from the person;
an image-processing unit that is operatively coupled to the at least one imager, that processes the digital-image signals, and that generates a series of optical-source-driving signals based on the digital-image signals; and
an optical source configured to receive the optical-source-driving signals and to generate pulsed infrared-light (IR) nerve-stimulation optical signals having wavelengths between 1800 nm and 1900 nm and a pulse width between 1 microsecond and 8 milliseconds, the optical source configured to emit and to direct the pulsed IR nerve-stimulation optical signals into the ocular implant, wherein the ocular implant is configured to transmit the IR nerve-stimulation optical signals through an inner portion of the eye and onto the at least one functional nerve layer of the retina, and wherein the IR nerve-stimulation optical signals produce optical nerve-action-potential signals directly in nerve cells other than rod cells or cone cells, in order to produce a vision sensation to the person.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved prosthesis and method for stimulating vision nerves to obtain a vision sensation that is useful for the patient that has lost vision due to AMD, RP, and other diseases. The invention utilizes infrared light to cause action potentials in the retinal nerves similar to those which result from rods and cones stimulated by visible light in healthy retinas. In some embodiments, the invention provides a prosthesis that generates a stimulation pattern of infrared light from an external stimulator array through the eye and focusing the stimulation pattern of infrared light on the retina, especially the fovea. Some embodiments the invention provides improved resolution down to a group of nerves, or even the individual nerve level, with sufficient energy density so as to cause a desired action potential.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system to aid in treating a vision problem of an eye of a person, wherein the eye has a retina having at least one functional nerve layer, and wherein at least part of the system is immediately in front of the eye of the person, the system comprising:
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an ocular implant adapted to be implanted at least in part within the eye of the person, wherein the ocular implant has a light-receiving anterior end closest to the eye'"'"'s anterior surface, and extends to a posterior end that is closer to the eye'"'"'s fovea than to the eye'"'"'s anterior surface; at least one imager that obtains a temporal sequence of images of a scene and converts the sequence of images into digital-image signals, the at least one imager having a field of view facing away from the person; an image-processing unit that is operatively coupled to the at least one imager, that processes the digital-image signals, and that generates a series of optical-source-driving signals based on the digital-image signals; and an optical source configured to receive the optical-source-driving signals and to generate pulsed infrared-light (IR) nerve-stimulation optical signals having wavelengths between 1800 nm and 1900 nm and a pulse width between 1 microsecond and 8 milliseconds, the optical source configured to emit and to direct the pulsed IR nerve-stimulation optical signals into the ocular implant, wherein the ocular implant is configured to transmit the IR nerve-stimulation optical signals through an inner portion of the eye and onto the at least one functional nerve layer of the retina, and wherein the IR nerve-stimulation optical signals produce optical nerve-action-potential signals directly in nerve cells other than rod cells or cone cells, in order to produce a vision sensation to the person. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus to aid in treating a vision problem of an eye of a person, wherein the eye has an anteroposterior axis extending from the eye'"'"'s anterior surface to the eye'"'"'s fovea, the apparatus comprising:
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an ocular implant adapted to be implanted at least in part within the person'"'"'s eye, wherein the ocular implant has a light-receiving anterior end closest to the eye'"'"'s anterior surface, and extends to a posterior end that is closer to the eye'"'"'s fovea than to the eye'"'"'s anterior surface; means for imaging a temporal sequence of images of a scene and for converting the sequence of images into digital-image signals, the means for imaging having a field of view facing away from the person; means for generating a series of optical-source-driving signals based on the digital-image signals; means for receiving the optical-source-driving signals and for generating and emitting pulsed infrared-light (IR) nerve-stimulation optical signals, wherein the means for generating and emitting optical signals include an optical source configured to emit the optical signals at a wavelength between 1800 nm and 1900 nm and with a pulse width between 1 microsecond and 8 milliseconds; and means for directing the pulsed IR nerve-stimulation optical signals into the ocular implant, wherein the ocular implant is configured to transmit the IR nerve-stimulation optical signals through an inner portion of the eye and onto the at least one functional nerve layer of the retina, and wherein the IR nerve stimulation optical signals produce optical nerve action potentials directly in nerve cells other than rods or cones, in order to produce a vision sensation to the person. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification