Some patients even saw crude shapes in the form of these light spots. This indicates that despite damage to cells in the retina, electronic techniques can transmit signals to the next step in the pathway and provide some form of visual sensation. Researchers are currently developing more sophisticated computer chips with the hope that they will be able to transmit more meaningful images to the brain. Other scientists are designing electronic devices to sidestep the loss of the entire eye or damage to the optic nerve and send impulses directly to the visual part of the brain. One blind person saw spots of light with one of the devices, according to a recent preliminary report.
Plans are underway to test it in additional patients.
Scientists also are developing other smaller, more complex, devices that could lie closer to the nerve cells in the visual part of the brain and potentially create some visual sensation in the blind. Researchers caution, however, that artificial vision devices are still highly experimental and practical systems are many years away. Even after they are refined, the first wave will most likely provide only crude images, such as the outline of a kitchen doorway. Some artificial vision strategies under investigation intend to replace damaged cells in the eye's retina with a computer chip. Society members may submit relevant current research references for consideration to list with this article.