Visual Prosthesis with an Improved Electrode Array Adapted for Foveal Stimulation

• US 20120123501A1
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cortigent Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Greenberg, Robert J., Ahuja, Ashish
• Granted Patent: US 8,588,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye

Abstract

The present invention is an improved method of electrically stimulating percepts in a patient with a visual prosthesis, to induce a more controlled perception of light. In particular, the present invention is an improved electrode array to maximize retinal response. The array of the present invention is an array with a center section with no electrode, surrounded by a ring of small high density electrodes. Electrodes beyond to ring are gradually larger and more widely spaced.

Claims

1. An implantable electrode array for retinal stimulation comprising;

An array body suitable to be implanted adjacent to a retina near its fovea;

a central portion of the array body 1 millimeter in radius or greater contains no electrodes; and

electrodes on the array body surrounding the central portion.

2. The implantable electrode array for visual stimulation according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are spaced across the array body at varying spatial pitch.

3. The implantable electrode array for visual stimulation according to claim 2, wherein spatial pitch intervals are smaller toward the central portion of the array body and increasing toward an outer edge of the array body.

4. The implantable electrode array according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are of varying size.

5. The implantable electrode array according to claim 4, wherein the varying size of the electrodes is small toward the central portion of the array body, and increases toward an outer edge of the array body.

6. The implantable electrode array according to claim 2, wherein the varying intervals of the electrodes increases proportionally to a distance from the central portion.

7. The implantable electrode array according to claim 5, wherein the varying size of the electrodes increases proportionally to a distance from the central portion.

8. The implantable electrode array according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are elongated electrodes.

9. The implantable electrode array according to claim 8, wherein the elongated electrodes are mushroom shaped electrodes.

10. The implantable electrode array according to claim 8, wherein the elongated electrodes are spike electrodes.

11. The implantable electrode array according to claim 8, wherein the elongated electrodes are of varying size.

12. The implantable electrode array according to claim 4, wherein the electrodes are elongated electrodes.

13. The implantable electrode array according to claim 5, wherein the electrodes are elongated electrodes.

14. The implantable electrode array according to claim 6, wherein the electrodes are elongated electrodes.

15. The implantable electrode array according to claim 1, wherein the array body defines a void over the central portion.

16. The implantable electrode array according to claim 1, wherein all electrodes fall between 1 millimeter and 3 millimeters from the center of the center portion.

17. The implantable electrode array according to claim 1, wherein electrodes beyond 3 millimeters from the center of the center portion are larger and further apart.

18. A visual prosthesis comprising:

a video capture device;

a video processor receiving video data from the video capture device and converting the video data to stimulation signals;

an implantable neural stimulator receiving stimulation signals;

an array body suitable to be implanted adjacent to a retina near its fovea;

a central portion of the array body 1 milimeter or greater without electrodes; and

electrodes driven by the neural stimulator on the array body surrounding the central portion.

19. The visual prosthesis according to claim 18, wherein the electrodes are spaced across the array body at varying intervals and the intervals are smaller toward the central portion of the array body and increasing toward an outer edge of the array body proportionately to a distance from the central portion.

20. The visual prosthesis according to claim 19, wherein the electrodes are of varying size, and the varying size of the electrodes is small toward the central portion of the array body, and increases toward an outer edge of the array body proportionately to a distance from the central portion.