Nidek Co., Ltd.

Other

Takashi Fujikado

Yasuo Tano

Yutaka Fukuda

Takeshi Morimoto

Tomomitsu Miyoshi

Tetsuya Yagi

An object is to provide an artificial vision system ensuring a wide field of view without damaging a retina. In the artificial vision system, a plurality of electrodes () are to be implanted so as to stick in an optic papilla of an eye of a patient. A signal for stimulation pulse is generated based on an image captured by an image pick up device () to be disposed outside a body of the patient. The electrical stimulation signals outputted from the electrodes () based on the signals for stimulation pulse stimulate an optic nerve of the eye, thereby enabling the patient to visually recognize the image from the image pickup device ().

Artificial vision system

A visual restoration aiding device for restoring vision of a patient, comprises: a signal generation unit including a substrate to be placed on an outer side of a choroid of a patient's eye and a plurality of electrodes arranged on the substrate for applying electrical stimulation pulse signals to cells constituting a retina; a photographing unit which photographs an object to be recognized by the patient; and a processing unit which converts image data obtained by the photographing unit to data for electrical stimulation pulse signal and transmits the converted data to the signal generation unit: wherein, based on the data for electrical stimulation pulse signal transmitted from the processing unit, the signal generation unit forms a waveform of an electrical stimulation pulse signal to be outputted from each electrode into a biphasic rectangular wave including rectangular waves of opposite polarities, and sets a pulse width of the electrical stimulation pulse signal to 0.2 msec. or more and 2 msec. or less.

Visual restoration aiding device

An ophthalmic treatment method for inhibiting death of retinal constitutive cells of an eye by stimulating the cells includes a first step of placing a positive electrode and a negative electrode in such positions outside the eye that the electrodes provide electrical stimulation to the cells, at least one of the electrodes being placed on one of a cornea and sclera of the eye; and a second step of generating an electrical stimulation pulse having an electric current set at 20 &#x3bc;A or more but not exceeding 300 &#x3bc;A from each placed electrode.

Ophthalmic treatment stimulation method for inhibiting death of retinal cells

A visual restoration aiding device for restoring vision of a patient, comprises: a substrate which will be placed on or under a retina, a choroid or a sclera of a patient's eye; a plurality of electrodes arranged on the substrate for applying electrical stimulation pulse signals to cells constituting the retina; a photographing unit which photographs an object to be recognized by the patient; and a control unit which controls output of the electrical stimulation pulse signals from each electrode based image data captured by the photographing unit. The number of the electrodes placed on the substrate is less than the number of electrodes that can simultaneously output the electrical stimulation pulse signals based on the image data corresponding to one frame. The control unit is configured to sequentially output the electrical stimulation pulse signals at predetermined time interval based on the divided image data corresponding to one frame so as to allow the patient to recognize the image corresponding to one frame by joining two or more divided sections of the image corresponding to one frame.

A visual restoration aiding device includes an electrode array () having a plurality of electrodes () placed on an outside of a choroid (E) of a patient's eye (E) to electrically stimulate cells constituting a retina (E).

An ophthalmic treatment apparatus includes an electrode which is set on a place to apply electrical stimulation to cells constituting a retina; and an electrical stimulation pulse generator which is connected to the electrode, for generating, from the electrode, a predetermined electrical stimulation pulse whose electric current is set at 20 &#x3bc;A or more but not exceeding 300 &#x3bc;A.

Growing community of inventors

Toyonaka, Japan

Takashi Fujikado