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Space scientists have designed an artificial retina which could
restore sight to the blind.
Tiny implants of 100,000 solar cells work by replacing the eye
cells which convert light into images which can be seen by the brain.
The first 'bionic eyes' could be given to suitable volunteers as
early as next year.
Its inventors say the system is suited to people whose rod and
cone cells, which sense light, are damaged but whose retinas still
have good connections from the eye to the brain, reports the Daily
Express.
Dr Alex Ignatiev, from the University of Houston who helped develop
it, said: "If only we could replace the damaged rods and cones
with artificial ones, a person who is retinally blind might be able
to regain some of their sight."
Space shuttle experiments helped to develop the system's ceramic
detectors which are built atom-by-atom.
Earlier attempts to mimic the cells of the retina failed because
the man-made detectors were too large to be of any practical use.
Posted 10th January 2002
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