Implanted Telescope Helps Patients Overcome Macular Degeneration
From: Machine Design - 08/25/2016
By: Stephen Mraz

Implanting some magnifying optics into patients' eyes lets them salvage
what’s left of their vision.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss
and affects 10 million Americans, more than those suffering from cataracts
and glaucoma combined. That number could grow to over 20 million by 2020 as
the US aged population grows. Worldwide, the number afflicted in 2020 could
be as high as 196 million.

There currently is no cure and doctors could do little more than prepare
patients for the inevitable loss of vision in one or both eyes. Now, however,
patients have an option, thanks to researchers at VisionCare who have
developed an implantable telescope that can preserve a patient's vision.

The implantable telescope consists of two lenses within a glass tube. It is
about the size of a pencil eraser (3.6-mm in diameter and 4.4 mm) and uses
bi-convex and bi-concave convergent and divergent micro-lenses coupled with
air lenses, according to VisionCare. Details on the micro-optics are
proprietary, but the outcome is that the implant acts like a fixed telephoto
lens that works with the cornea to project images onto the retina that are
enlarged by a factor of 2.7. The iris is also left in place, but the implant
is longer than it is deep, so the end of the telescope protrudes through the
inactive iris. Although the macula of the retina is partially destroyed and
useless, the magnified image overlaps the diseased section to stimulate
undamaged rods and cones to partially return central vision to the patient.

Read the entire article at:
http://machinedesign.com/medical/implanted-telescope-helps-patients-overcome-macular-degeneration
http://machinedesign.com/datasheet/implanted-telescope-helps-overcome-macular-degeneration-pdf-download

Link:
Vision Care
http://www.visioncareinc.net

Related:
Special Glasses Combat Color Blindness
http://machinedesign.com/medical/special-glasses-combat-color-blindness