A blind can perceive light thanks to a Bionic eye - La Razón (Bolivia)

Australian researchers have managed to implant a Bionic eye to a blind woman, that is able to distinguish light stains. It is the first step in this research to get return sight to blind patients through technology.

The experiment has been developed in Bionic Vision Australia, with the collaboration of the Royal Victorian hospital, according to the Australian newspaper The Age you.

According to the website of 20minutos.es, the Bionic eye has been implanted in the eyes of Dianne Ashworth, a woman blind 54 years. A few electrodes have been arranged in its retina with a receiver placed on your ear. Through a cable, a computer interprets brain signals to see if some stimulus occurs in the brain.

The initial results have been a success. As well as registering nerve signals in the brain, Dianne has been aware for the first time since 22 years of lighting variations in the environment. In particular, Dianne has seen spots of light around objects moving in the scene. This reaction is a substantial step, because it shows that the Bionic eye may make changes in the perception of signals that interprets the brain of Dianne.

The researchers are now in the second phase of the project. It is based in determining exactly what Dianne so we can see. To do this, they use their comments and the response of your eyes to electrodes arranged behind the eye.

Dianne has been the lucky first participated in the experiment of the University of Australia. 22 Years ago lost his vision completely, due to an inherited disease known Pigmenti comoretinitis. This consists of a degeneration of the cones and sticks, the cells of the retina responsible for assimilating the visual environment.

"No me experaba this reaction has been unbelievable", says Dianne Ashworth, the 54-year-old patient subjected to the experiment.

The researchers are also optimistic. Although they claim not having full vision, they believe that their results are substantial to advance in the field of human vision. "These results met our expectations, which gives us the confidence that with further development we can achieve a useful vision", said the President of Bionic Vision Australia, David Penington.

There are other projects related to this technology around the world, but she has not been tested in patients. One of them is ?el implant retinal ? some researchers at the University of Stanford, California, presented last April. It works as a solar panel, registering large amounts of light to render silhouettes.

For the moment, the Australian experiment is the most advanced. Its director, David Penington says that even being in a primary stage of development, there are many plans for the future for this technology. "Much remains to be done in the use of the implant today to build images for MS Ashworth." "The next big step will be when begin implants complete devices", said Penington.