Ocular implant

An ocular implant was a artificial eye device designed to replace or augment a damaged or missing visual organ.
A common medical prosthesis in the United Federation of Planets as early as the 2360s, Starfleet doctor Katherine Pulaski had performed several surgeries involving implants during her career. In 2365, the doctor offered the procedure to chief engineer Geordi La Forge, who declined based on his belief that the technology was not yet advanced enough to afford the same visual range as a VISOR. ()
By 2373, however, La Forge had undergone the procedure and received a pair of ocular implants. Similar in appearance to the normal humanoid eye, these implants were distinguished by a vibrant blue color with mechanized detail on the irises and pupils. Offering similar advantages (and disadvantages) as the VISOR, the implants allowed La Forge telescopic vision that included heat-detecting infrared capabilities. Side effects included the occasional headache. (; )
In 2375, severe headaches ultimately led to the discovery that La Forge's optic nerve had regenerated due to exposure to metaphasic radiation on the Ba'ku planet. CMO Beverly Crusher temporarily removed the ocular implants, during which time La Forge was capable of vision using his natural organs, although this effect wore off after he left the Ba'ku homeworld and was no longer regularly exposed to the radiation. ()
Geordi La Forge had also received ocular implants in an unknown, alternate future timeframe. ()
In 2373, Doctor Julian Bashir of starbase Deep Space 9 suggested that General Martok undergo the procedure to receive an ocular implant after the Klingon lost his eye in combat with the Jem'Hadar Ikat'ika on Internment Camp 371. Martok was adamant that he did "not want an artificial eye". ()
In 2374, the EMH program operating aboard the , lost in the Delta Quadrant, fashioned a custom ocular implant to replace former Borg drone Seven of Nine's cybernetic eyepiece. The Doctor prided himself in matching the color of the implant perfectly to Seven's intact eye. While the implant was indistinguishable from a normal Human eye, the new prosthetic retained Borg components granting Seven enhanced vision. Seven's implant was even better equipped to see irregularities in space-time than a 29th century Federation sensor. ()
==Appendices==
=== Background information ===
The idea to give Geordi ocular implants came from LeVar Burton. He lobbied long and hard to get rid of the VISOR in , but it took until to get this request granted. 
While the ocular implant for Seven of Nine seen in appears to basically be a replacement eye, appears to make it clear that the metalic arch visible above her left eye is also part of this implant.
=== Apocrypha ===
In the eBook The Insolence of Office, Admiral decided LaForge's VISOR was a security risk and informed LaForge if he wanted to continue serving on the Enterprise he would have to undergo ocular implant surgery. By then the occular implant technology had advanced considerably, with bio-neural circuitry replacing the Aroeste interface previously used with such implants. The bio-neural circuitry allowed for faster processing of incoming data and provided a closer approximation of normal Human vision. After Dr. Crusher informed LaForge of the benefits of the ocular implants, he agreed to undergo the surgery.
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Category:Medical equipment