Light Powered Bionic Eye Invented

Stanford University, California :  A bionic eye (retinal implant) - which is powered by light has been invented. However, Current retinal implants are limited to being powered by a battery.

This powers the implant and sends the information which could help a patient see. Diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and retinal pigmentosa result in the death of cells which can detect light in the eye.Eventually this leads to blindness.

Retinal implants stimulate the nerves in the back of the eye, which will help patients to see. It works in a similar way to a solar panel, is fitted in the back of the eye.

A pair of glasses fitted with a video camera records what is happening before a patient's eyes and fires beams of near infrared light on to the retinal chip. This creates an electrical signal which is passed on to nerves.Natural light is 1,000 times too weak to power the implant.