This week, the Food and Drug Administration approved a device geared towards people that suffer from Retinitis Pigmentosa, which is a disease of the eyes that causes a gradual loss in vision to the point of eventual blindness. For the approximate 100,000 people dealing with Retinitis Pigmentosa, this "Bionic Eye" will be a life-changing experience. The device functions by using flashes of pictures taken from an extremely small camera and transmitting them to electrode sensors that have been artificially placed on the patients eye. This helps to replace the damaged cells that are inside the retina and creates the process of sight. During the testing of the product, many of the patients were excited when they were able to see sights of the community around them, and even more so in 2009 when the first patient was able to see large letters.
I find this invention to be incredible. Last week I read an article about a man that was able to overcome an injury leaving him a quadruple amputee. This week I learning that the scientists in the health field are more or less "giving sight to the blind." I feel as though we are already the future of medicine, but this article assures us that more is to come. In fact, the doctor that was interviewed in this article says that this discovery is simply a beginning. This article is nothing short of amazing. In reading the section where a man describes seeing his son for the first time since the effects of disease proves the success of modern day health and science.
http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/news/20130214/fda-approves-bionic-eye-to-help-against-rare-vision-disorder
Robert Edwards: 2/15/13 12:50!
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