Insights into optoelectronic polymer neuronal interface

Abstract

Vision is one the most important senses of the human body. In the evolution as well, visual system developed at a very early stage indicating the importance of this sensory mechanism. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are two of the many malfunctioning states of the visual system in which the photoreceptor or the other neuronal layers of retina are partially or completely non-functional. This results in conditions like night, color or even complete blindness. Artificial retinal implant is one of the latest approach in curing the RP and AMD in which an array of electrodes is surgically implanted close to the retina. This array of electrodes is connected to an imaging device like a charged coupled device (CCD) that converts the external light signals into electrical signals. The microelectrode array receives these electrical signals from CCD and excites the neurons of the retina close proximity and elicit the perception of vision in the brain [1-3].