Artificial vision
Abstract
Outer retinal degenerations such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) lead to blindness because of photoreceptor degeneration. To test whether controlled electrical stimulation of the remaining retinal neurons could provide form vision, we electrically stimulated the inner retinal surface with micro-electrodes inserted through the sclera/eye wall of 14 of these patients (12 RP and 2 AMD). This procedure was performed in the operating room under local anaesthesia and all responses were recorded via a video camera mounted on the surgical microscope. Electrical stimulation of the inner retinal surface elicited visual perception of a spot of light (phosphene) in all subjects. This perception was retinotopically correct in 13 of 14 patients. In a resolution test in a subject with no light perception, the patient could resolve phosphenes at 1.75 degrees centre-to-centre distance (i.e. visual acuity compatible with mobility; Snellen visual acuity of 4/200).
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In 1998, the first cohort-based human study of a retinal prosthesis showed that electrical stimulation of the inner retinal surface elicited retinotopically appropriate phosphenes in 14 patients with end-stage retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration, including individuals with no residual light perception.
“In 1998, the first cohort-based human study of a retinal prosthesis showed that electrical stimulation of the inner retinal surface elicited retinotopically appropriate phosphenes in 14 patients with end-stage retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration, including individuals with no residual light perception.20”
From Visual Prostheses in the Era of Artificial Intelligence Technology (2025) · cites this paper as [20]
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- Authors
- Humayun, M. S., & de Juan, E.
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Humayun, Mark S
- ORCID
- Humayun, Mark S
- Venue
- Eye
- Published
- 1998-05
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 605-607
- ISSN
- 0078-5334 (ISSN-L)
- 0950-222X
- 1476-5454
- OpenAlex
- W4254614585
- Cited by
- 50
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 0.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Eye (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Retinal Development and Disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Keywords
- retinal prosthesis, retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, retinotopic mapping, visual acuity, photoreceptor degeneration, artificial vision
- MeSH terms
- Blindness, Color Perception, Electric Stimulation Therapy, Form Perception, Humans, Microelectrodes, Phosphenes, Retinal Degeneration, Retinitis Pigmentosa
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