Michigan Man among 1st in US to Get 'Bionic Eye'
From: Wireless Design & Development - 04/23/2014
By: Mike Householder

A degenerative eye disease slowly robbed Roger Pontz of his vision.

Diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa as a teenager, Pontz has been almost
completely blind for years. Now, thanks to a high-tech procedure that
involved the surgical implantation of a "bionic eye," he's regained enough of
his eyesight to catch small glimpses of his wife, grandson, and cat.

The artificial implant in Pontz's left eye is part of a system developed by
Second Sight that includes a small video camera and transmitter housed in a
pair of glasses.

Images from the camera are converted into a series of electrical pulses that
are transmitted wirelessly to an array of electrodes on the surface of the
retina. The pulses stimulate the retina's remaining healthy cells, causing
them to relay the signal to the optic nerve.

The visual information then moves to the brain, where it is translated into
patterns of light that can be recognized and interpreted, allowing the
patient to regain some visual function. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.wirelessdesignmag.com/news/2014/04/michigan-man-among-1st-us-get-bionic-eye
http://www.rdmag.com/news/2014/04/michigan-man-among-first-us-get-bionic-eye
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2014/04/michigan-man-among-1st-us-get-bionic-eye
http://www.biosciencetechnology.com/news/2014/04/michigan-man-among-first-get-bionic-eye

Links:
Second Sight
http://www.2-sight.com/

DOE plays major role in FDA-approved retinal prosthesis
http://www.rdmag.com/news/2013/02/doe-plays-major-role-fda-approved-retinal-prosthesis

Breakthrough in retinal implants expected to restore sight to the blind
http://www.rdmag.com/news/2013/11/breakthrough-retinal-implants-expected-restore-sight-blind

Emerging Prostheses Attempt Vision Restoration
http://www.rdmag.com/articles/2004/06/emerging-prostheses-attempt-vision-restoration

Restoring Sight in Michigan (with video 1:39)
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2014/04/photos-day-restoring-sight-michigan

Eye Implant Can Restore Some Vision in Rare Cases
http://www.biosciencetechnology.com/news/2013/02/eye-implant-can-restore-some-vision-rare-cases