Development of visual Neuroprostheses: trends and challenges.
Open accessAbstract
Visual prostheses are implantable medical devices that are able to provide some degree of vision to individuals who are blind. This research field is a challenging subject in both ophthalmology and basic science that has progressed to a point where there are already several commercially available devices. However, at present, these devices are only able to restore a very limited vision, with relatively low spatial resolution. Furthermore, there are still many other open scientific and technical challenges that need to be solved to achieve the therapeutic benefits envisioned by these new technologies. This paper provides a brief overview of significant developments in this field and introduces some of the technical and biological challenges that still need to be overcome to optimize their therapeutic success, including long-term viability and biocompatibility of stimulating electrodes, the selection of appropriate patients for each artificial vision approach, a better understanding of brain plasticity and the development of rehabilitative strategies specifically tailored for each patient.
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A large number of implanted electrodes may pose data-transmission and stimulation problems in a wireless device, and these may be key factors limiting the number of UEA implants.
“However, such a large number of implanted electrodes may pose data-transmission and stimulation problems in a wireless device, and these may be key factors limiting the number of UEA implants (34).”
From Visual percepts evoked with an intracortical 96-channel microelectrode array inserted in human occipital cortex (2021) · cites this paper as [34]
In “Delivering of information to implants,” the paper says that increasing electrode numbers creates data-transmission problems that limit electrode count, as well as interference and cross-talk during stimulation. “Electrode-to-tissue Interface issues” also notes power-dissipation problems with large arrays. The passages do not specifically address wireless devices or identify these problems as limiting the number of UEA implants. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe results suggest that silicon-based, penetrating microelectrode arrays could provide the stability required in a clinical device.
“The results therefore suggest that silicon-based, penetrating microelectrode arrays could provide the stability required in a clinical device (11, 32-34) but further investigations in more subjects and over a longer period of time are needed.”
From Visual percepts evoked with an intracortical 96-channel microelectrode array inserted in human occipital cortex (2021) · cites this paper as [34]
The ‘Electrode-to-tissue Interface issues’ section discusses long-term viability as a challenge, including corrosion, glial scarring, and the need for improved protection of implant electronics. Searches for silicon-based penetrating arrays and clinical-device stability found no passage reporting results that suggest those arrays could provide the required stability. (LLM, conf=0.72)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThere is no treatment for all causes of blindness.
“unfortunately, there is no treatment for all causes of blindness (Fernandez, 2018; Fernandez et al., 2020).”
From Toward a personalized closed-loop stimulation of the visual cortex: Advances and challenges (2022) · cites this paper as Fernandez, 2018
The perception experience could be different in a brain deprived of visual information.
“could also be different in a brain deprived of visual information (Merabet et al., 2007; Fernandez, 2018)”
From Toward a personalized closed-loop stimulation of the visual cortex: Advances and challenges (2022) · cites this paper as Fernandez, 2018
Visual prosthetics may provide a promising solution that can restore a rudimentary form of vision in some forms of blindness.
“For some forms of blindness, visual prosthetics may provide a promising solution that can restore a rudimentary form of vision (Chen, Wang Fernandez, & Roelfsema, 2020; Fernandez, 2018; Lewis et al., 2016; Lozano et al., 2020; Riazi-Esfahani, Maghami, Sodagar, Lashay, & riazi-Esfahani, 2014; Roelfsema, Denys, & Klink, 2018; Shepherd, Shivdasani, Nayagam, Williams, & Blamey, 2013).”
From End-to-end optimization of prosthetic vision (2022) · cites this paper as Fernandez, 2018
Visual perception and performance in solving visual tasks could improve with learning and time.
“Indeed, researchers demonstrated that visual perception and performance in solving visual tasks could improve with learning and time [20,98].”
From Advances in visual prostheses: engineering and biological challenges (2022) · cites this paper as [20]
There are no treatments for all causes of blindness.
“unfortunately, there are not treatments for all causes of blindness (Fernandez, 2018).”
From Toward Long-Term Communication With the Brain in the Blind by Intracortical Stimulation: Challenges and Future Prospects (2020) · cites this paper as Fernandez, 2018
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References 96 · Cited by 114
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- Kolb H, Fernandez E, Nelson R. (1995-) Webvision: The Neural Organization of Retina and Visual System (available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11530/). 21413389
- Najarpour Foroushani A, Pack C, Sawan M. Cortical visual prostheses: from microstimulation to functional percept. J Neural Eng. 2018;15:021005. 29350199
- Authors
- Fernandez, E.
- ORCID
- Fernandez, Eduardo
- Venue
- Bioelectronic Medicine
- Published
- 2018-08-13
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 12-12
- ISSN
- 2332-8886 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7098238
- OpenAlex
- W2886033682
- Cited by
- 114
- References
- 96
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 5
- FWCI
- 1.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Bioelectronic Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MAT2015-69967-C3-1)
- Catedra Bidons Egara
- Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
- Keywords
- retinal prosthesis, artificial vision, blindness, biomedical implants, retinal stimulation, stimulating electrodes, biocompatibility, patient selection, neuroplasticity, visual rehabilitation, spatial resolution
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