Update on Retinal Prosthetic Research: The Boston Retinal Implant Project

08/19/11 • 8 min

Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology - JNO Podcast Series

The field of retinal prosthetic research, now more than 20 years old, has produced many high-quality technical options that have the potential to restore vision to patients with acquired disease of the outer retina. Having developed a wireless device implanted in the subretinal space, the Boston Retinal Implant Project has focused its efforts on developing scalable technologies to create a hermetic device that can deliver individually controlled pulses of electrical stimulation to each of hundreds of electrodes.

Previous Episode

Neuroretinitis: Review of the Literature and New Observations

Neuroretinitis (NR) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by optic disc edema and subsequent formation of a macular star figure. Cases can be divided into those in which a specific infectious agent has been identified, those considered idiopathic, and those with recurrent attacks. Some reports have not distinguished among these subgroups, and it is unclear if their clinical features vary. Purvin and colleagues reviewed the literature and our own patients looking particularly at features that might better distinguish these subtypes.

Next Episode

Papilledema: The Vexing Issues

Papilledema has long been recognized as a valuable sign of increased intracranial pressure (ICP). But because papilledema is based on interruption of the energy-dependent process of axoplasmic flow, it appears late after a rise in ICP. Papilledema is usually present in chronically high ICP but sometimes asymmetrically in the 2 eyes and rarely in 1 eye only. Distinguishing it from other optic neuropathies that produce elevated optic discs is challenging, especially in the chronic phase, when visual function may be impaired.