UPDATED: December 2013

The Bionic Vision Australia project

Bionic Vision Australia (BVA) is a national consortium of researchers working together to develop bionic eye devices to restore a sense of vision to people with profound vision loss due to retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.

Who will benefit from the bionic eye?

Patients with profound vision loss due to retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration may benefit from the bionic eye. The bionic eye technology relies on the patient having a healthy optic nerve and a developed visual cortex – patients need to have been able to see in the past for this device to be of benefit to them. Those who have very profound vision loss will benefit most from the technology.

Retinitis pigmentosa is the main form of inherited blindness. It affects 1.5 million people worldwide and is characterised by the progressive loss of vision. Age-related macular degeneration is responsible for almost half of all legal blindness in Australia. It mainly affects people over the age of 65.

How will the bionic eye work?

Our bionic eye devices will consist of a camera, attached to a pair of glasses, which captures the visual scene and transmits radio frequency signals to a microchip implanted at the back of the eye.

Electrodes attached to the chip convert these signals into electrical impulses, which then stimulate the remaining cells in the retina that connect to the optic nerve. This is then interpreted by the visual processing centres of the brain as an image.

Our achievements

In 2012 patient tests began with a prototype bionic device successfully implanted in three patients in Melbourne. Tests have been very successful with all patients reporting seeing dots and flashes of light and being able to recognise basic shapes and letters. In 2013, researchers connected an external camera to the implant, and patients are reporting being able to recognize basic shapes, including large letters and numbers. By conducting these patient tests with the early prototype bionic eye, we are answering key questions for our research programs.

The bionic eye prototypes

• An early prototype with 24 electrodes has been implanted in three patients in Melbourne. Testing with the device is helping researchers learn more about how the brain interprets visual information provided by electrical stimulation of the implant. Information from patient tests is feeding back into development of the Wide-View and High-Acuity prototypes.
• The Wide-View device has 98 electrodes to stimulate the nerve cells in the back of the eye. This will assist people with profound vision loss see the contrast between light and dark shapes, identify large objects and obstacles and regain mobility and independence.  
• The High-Acuity device will first have 256, and then up to 1024 electrodes to stimulate the retina. It will provide people with more detailed central vision, helping them recognise faces and even read large print. It will utilise wireless technology and diamond materials.  

What’s next?

We are extending the current patient study with the 24-electrod early prototype device until mid-2014 to learn more about how the brain interprets information from the implant and to develop effective ways of measuring improvements in vision. Researchers are also developing a new, fully implantable version of the early prototype device for another round of patient tests in 2014.

Development, safety and efficacy studies continue with the Wide-View High-Acuity devices as researchers prepare for patient tests. The commercial development process will begin after the successful completion of these patient tests.

Why are we different?

There are several groups around the world developing bionic eye technologies. There are a number of benefits to the Bionic Vision Australia approach. Australia has a strong track record in medical bionics, being home to the heart pacemaker and the bionic ear. Bionic Vision Australia brings together leading researchers and clinicians from diverse fields, many of whom were part of the bionic ear development.

Our experienced surgical team has developed a novel surgical procedure that is relatively short and non-invasive and we are developing devices that will be safe and effective for the lifetime of the patient. The High-Acuity device will use biocompatible diamond material for the electrodes and to encapsulate the implant. Wireless data and power transfer will also be an integral part of the design. Researchers are optimising the vision processing methods and stimulation strategies so we can achieve the best outcomes together with our patients.

Funding

In late 2009, the Australian Research Council awarded the Bionic Vision Australia consortium a grant of 42 million dollars over four years following a competitive bidding process. Research and development of the bionic eye continues in 2014 thanks to a grant extension of eight million dollars from the Australian Research Council. To further progress the technology to clinical trials and commercial application, however, further sources of government, philanthropic and/or venture capital funding are required.

The BVA consortium

Bionic Vision Australia is a national consortium of researchers from the Bionics Institute, the Centre for Eye Research Australia, National ICT Australia, the University of Melbourne and the University of New South Wales. 

The National Vision Research Institute, the University of Western Sydney and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital are project partners. Bionic Vision Australia is an initiative of the Australian Research Council.