Ocular implant with substantially constant retinal spacing for transmission of nerve-stimulation light
View Patent ↗An improved prosthesis and method for stimulating vision nerves to obtain a vision sensation that is useful for the patient that has lost vision due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and other diseases. The present invention utilizes infrared light to cause action potentials in the retinal nerves similar to those which result from rods and cones stimulated by visible light in healthy retinas. In some embodiments, the invention provides a pathway or “image pipe” for transmitting a stimulation pattern of infrared light from an external stimulator array through the eye and focusing the stimulation pattern of infrared light on the retina, especially the fovea. Some embodiments provide improved resolution down to a group of nerves, or even the individual nerve level, with sufficient energy density so as to cause a desired action potential.
1. A system to aid in the treatment of a vision problem of an eye of a person, wherein the eye has an anteroposterior axis extending from the eye's anterior surface to the eye's retina, the system comprising:
an ocular unit configured to be implanted at least in part within the eye, wherein the ocular unit has an optical path that is substantially transparent to at least some infrared wavelengths of light between about 1000 nm and about 1900 nm, wherein the ocular unit, when implanted at least in part within the eye, has a light-receiving anterior end closest to the eye's anterior surface, and extends to a posterior end, wherein the posterior end is within about 2 mm of the eye's retina, wherein the posterior end of the ocular unit is shaped so as to have a substantially constant spacing from the ganglion layer of the retina of the eye, and wherein the ocular unit has a secure-placement feature that is configured to be secured to an anatomical feature of the eye;
a camera, located external to the eye of the person, that generates an image signal representative of a scene;
an image processor operatively coupled to the camera to receive the image signal and configured to generate a pulse-control signal representing pulse parameters that are based on the image signal; and
a light source operatively coupled to the image processor to receive the pulse-control signal and configured to generate a spatial pattern of pulsed infrared light signals that is transmitted through the ocular unit when the ocular unit is implanted at least in part within the eye, wherein the spatial pattern of pulsed infrared light signals is configured to trigger a nerve-action potential response in nerves of a retina layer of the eye of the person, and wherein the pulsed infrared light signals generated by the light source have wavelengths between about 1810 nm and about 1900 nm.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ocular unit includes a thermoplastic, biocompatible material that transmits to the posterior end more than half of infrared light having wavelengths between about 1800 and about 1900 nm that is incident on the anterior end.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the biocompatible material includes poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ocular unit includes an optical path in a material having substantially cylindrical-shaped sides from the anterior end to the posterior end, and wherein the posterior end of the material has a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the anterior end of the material.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ocular unit includes a tapered material from the anterior end to the posterior end, and wherein the posterior end of the tapered material has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the anterior end of the material.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anterior end of the ocular unit is shaped to form a lens to focus the infrared light on nerves of the retina when the ocular unit is implanted at least in part within the eye.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the ocular unit includes an enclosed hollow portion.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the ocular unit includes an enclosed hollow portion filled with a gas, and wherein the gas is an inert gas having a pressure of no more than about 1000 Torr.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the ocular unit includes an enclosed hollow portion filled with a gas, and wherein at least one end of the hollow portion is shaped to form a lens to focus the infrared light on nerves of the retina when the ocular unit is implanted at least in part within the eye.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when the ocular unit is secured to an anatomical feature of the eye, the anterior end of the ocular unit extends through the anterior of the eye replacing at least part of the eye's cornea, and wherein the ocular unit is sealed securely to the sclera.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the anterior end of the ocular unit is posterior to the eye's cornea when the ocular unit is implanted at least in part within the eye.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ocular unit has at least one indicia mark to facilitate detection of the eye's position when the ocular unit is implanted at least in part within the eye.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein, when implanted at least in part within the eye, the posterior end of the ocular unit is located within about 1 mm of the retina.
14. A system to aid in the treatment of a vision problem of an eye of a person, wherein the eye has an anteroposterior axis extending from the eye's anterior surface to the eye's retina, the system comprising:
means for forming an optical path inside the person's eye, wherein the means for forming the optical path is substantially transparent to at least some infrared wavelengths of light between about 1000 nm and about 1900 nm, wherein the means for forming the optical path, when implanted at least in part within the eye, has a light-receiving anterior end closest to the eye's anterior surface, and extends to a posterior end, wherein the posterior end is within about 2 mm of the retina of the eye, and wherein the posterior end of the means for forming the optical path is shaped so as to have a substantially constant spacing from the ganglion layer of the retina of the eye;
means for securing the means for forming the optical path to an anatomical feature of the eye;
a camera, located external to the eye of the person, that generates an image signal representative of a scene;
an image processor operatively coupled to the camera to receive the image signal and configured to generate a pulse-control signal representing pulse parameters that are based on the image signal; and
a light source operatively coupled to the image processor to receive the pulse-control signal and configured to generate a spatial pattern of pulsed infrared light signals that is transmitted through the means for forming the optical path when implanted at least in part within the eye, wherein the spatial pattern of pulsed infrared light signals is configured to trigger a nerve-action potential response in nerves of a retina layer of the eye of the person, and wherein the pulsed infrared light signals generated by the light source have wavelengths between about 1810 nm and about 1900 nm.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the means for forming the optical path further includes means for transmitting to the posterior end more than half of infrared light having wavelengths between about 1800 and about 1900 nm that is incident on the anterior end.
16. The system of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the means for forming the optical path includes a biocompatible material that includes poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).
17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the means for forming the optical path includes means for forming an optical path of a material having substantially cylindrical-shaped sides from the anterior end to the posterior end, and wherein the posterior end of the material has a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the anterior end of the material.
18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the means for forming the optical path includes a material having tapered sides from the anterior end to the posterior end, and wherein the posterior end of the material has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the anterior end of the material.
19. The system of claim 14 , wherein, when implanted at least in part within the eye, the posterior end of the ocular unit is located within about 1 mm of the retina.
20. A system to aid in the treatment of a vision problem of an eye of a person, wherein the eye has an anteroposterior axis extending from the eye's anterior surface to the eye's retina, the system comprising:
an ocular unit configured to be implanted at least in part within the eye, wherein the ocular unit has an optical path that is substantially transparent to at least some infrared wavelengths of light between about 1000 nm and about 1900 nm, wherein the ocular unit, when implanted at least in part within the eye, has a light-receiving anterior end closest to the eye's anterior surface, and extends to a posterior end, wherein the posterior end is within about 2 mm of the retina of the eye, and wherein the posterior end of the ocular unit is shaped so as to have a substantially constant spacing from the ganglion layer of the retina of the eye;
means for securing the ocular unit to an anatomical feature of the eye;
a camera, located external to the eye of the person, that generates an image signal representative of a scene;
an image processor operatively coupled to the camera to receive the image signal and configured to generate a pulse-control signal representing pulse parameters that are based on the image signal; and
a light source operatively coupled to the image processor to receive the pulse-control signal and configured to generate a spatial pattern of pulsed infrared light signals that is transmitted through the ocular unit when the ocular unit is implanted at least in part within the eye, wherein the spatial pattern of pulsed infrared light signals is configured to trigger a nerve-action potential response in nerves of a retina layer of the eye of the person, and wherein the pulsed infrared light signals generated by the light source have wavelengths between about 1810 nm and about 1900 nm.
21. The system of claim 20 , wherein at least part of the ocular unit includes an enclosed hollow portion.
22. The system of claim 20 , wherein the ocular unit includes a tapered material from the anterior end to the posterior end, and wherein the posterior end of the tapered material has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the anterior end of the material.
23. The system of claim 20 , wherein the anterior end of the ocular unit is shaped to form a lens to focus the infrared light on nerves of the retina when the ocular unit is implanted at least in part within the eye.
24. The system of claim 20 , wherein the ocular unit has at least one indicia mark to facilitate detection of the eye's position when the ocular unit is implanted at least in part within the eye.
25. The system of claim 20 , wherein, when implanted at least in part within the eye, the posterior end of the ocular unit is located within about 1 mm of the retina.