Elsevier

Vision Research

Volume 39, Issue 15, July 1999, Pages 2569-2576
Vision Research

Pattern electrical stimulation of the human retina

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0042-6989(99)00052-8Get rights and content
Under an Elsevier user license
open archive

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to study if electrical stimulation of the retinal surface can elicit visual sensation in individuals blind from end-stage retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Under local anesthesia, different stimulating electrodes were inserted through the eyewall and positioned over the surface of the retina. Subjects’ psychophysical responses to electrical stimulation were recorded. Subjects perceived simple forms in response to pattern electrical stimulation of the retina. A non-flickering perception was created with stimulating frequencies between 40 and 50 Hz. The stimulation threshold was dependent on the targeted retinal area (macular versus extramacular).

Keywords

Retinal prosthesis
Artificial vision
Retinitis pigmentosa
Age-related macular degeneration
Electrical stimulation

Cited by (0)