The New Bionic Eye Seeks to Cure all Forms of Blindness

Until recently, professionals in the medical field have encountered extreme difficulty in curing visual blindness. However, a new innovation, the bionic eye, is being tested to solve this problem.  

A team of researchers from the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales have embarked on a mission to develop a functional artificial eye. Their novel idea stemmed from an observation about Australian sheep, which are known to have great vision, and they have successfully had bionic, artificial eyes implanted behind their retinas.  

This bionic eye, also called Phoenix 99, was tolerated well by the animals that underwent the experimental trials. It has been modified and is now being tested on human patients. 

The device wirelessly links to a small camera that is attached to a pair of glasses which stimulate the retina. The retina implant receives data from the camera and processor part of the device, enabling the neurons at the back of the eye to send a signal to the brain. All of this allows an image to be successfully created at the back of the eye. The Phoenix 99 is advanced enough to bypass faulty retina cells, and continue to trigger the cells that still work. 

Biomedical engineer, Samuel Eggenberger, said, “There were no unexpected reactions from the tissue around the device, and we expect it could remain in place for many years.” Although the project is very new, the medical trials have already shown great promise and success. Electronic engineer, Robin Mitchell, says that the bionic eye could be “the biggest medical achievement in history” because of its ability to restore vision.

Bionic eye systems are still in their infancy, but with the rapid advancement of technology, this lack of focus will not last long. However, despite advancements, bionic eye systems prove to be expensive due to the cost of the technology, meaning these devices will be limited to those who can afford them. Therefore, this life-changing device won’t be available to a large portion of patients who need it.

The recent successes with the Phoenix 99 bionic eye project have inspired other research projects to investigate cures for blindness. For example, the Second Sight Medicine is working on a project called the “Orion.” The aim of this project is to develop a brain implant with the goal to treat all forms of blindness. 

The Phoenix 99 bionic eye project has become a symbol of the incredible technological advancements made in medicine over the past few years. Medical problems that once seemed impossible to treat now have solutions just nearly in our grasp.