The good old Austin American Statesman comes through again with a great story on aging. This week it’s teeny, tiny telescopes implanted in eyes affected* with Macular Degeneration.
As the eye ages, the light-sensing cells in the center of the eye can begin to stop working and one cannot see anything in the middle of the field of view or up close. Only peripheral vision is left and that makes life tricky.
This little telescope redirects the light to parts of the eye that still work and one can see again. It takes a lot of rehabilitation and practice to learn to see using another part of the eye, but it is possible. The Statesman article tells about a 93 year old man who did it. Now he can sees much better, moves safer and can care for his animals.
The second and third photos show the device on a finger tip and how it looks embedded in the eye. Click on the photos to see them bigger. The first photo is a bit bogus.
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* or is that effected? I can never figure that usage out. What do you think? See if this web site helps: Diffen
References
- Roser, MA. Telescopic eye implant shows promise for patients losing their sight.
Austin American Statesman, April 17, 2015. - Telescopic implant restores vision in patient with advanced macular degeneration. University of California Davis Newsroom, September 11, 2012.
Image Source: I don’t know the original source for the first photo. I found it on TheDarkPower.com. The other photos are from the UC Davis article.
Rodger Marion 