[Nfbf-l] Second Sight, Kellogg Eye Center finding early success with artificial retina

[Alan Dicey via Nfbf-l]

Dear Friends,
Passing this along.
With Best Regards,
God Bless,
Alan
Plantation, Florida

Second Sight, Kellogg Eye Center finding early success with artificial 
retina
Publish date: MAY 09, 2014
By: Colleen E. McCarthy
Ann Arbor, MI- Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. and the University of 
Michigan Kellogg Eye Center experienced recent success with an artificial 
retina, which is gaining national attention and giving patients back their 
sight.
"We are pleased with the patients' progress at this point, and we are 
hopeful and optimistic that the artificial retina will enable them to see 
objects, light, and people standing before them," says Thiran Jayasundera, 
MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology at the UM Medical School. "We 
believe the device will help them navigate a little better at home, be more 
independent, and have the pleasure of seeing things that the rest of us take 
for granted."
The Kellog Eye Center has implanted artificial retinas into patients since 
the surgery received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval last year. 
Now, patients like Roger Pontz, who lost nearly all vision years ago due to 
retinitis pigmentosa, are regaining some visual function thanks to the Argus 
II Retinal Prosthesis System developed by Second Sight. Pontz's story was 
recently highlighted by the Associated Press.
Roger Pontz using his Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System (Photo courtesy of 
University of Michigan Kellog Eye Center

 Dr. Craig Hentzel
Staff Optometrist - El Paso VAHCS