Hybrid optogenetic and electrical stimulation of retinal ganglion cells for artificial vision

Abstract

Introduction: Millions of adults worldwide experience severe visual impairment due to photoreceptor loss from retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration. Retinal prostheses that provide artificial vision by stimulating the surviving retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) have emerged as a promising therapy. However, all clinically approved retinal prostheses that use electrical stimulation face the issue of electrical spread. As such, the quality of restored vision provided by existing devices has been limited. Optogenetic approaches provide greater spatial precision, however, they have poor temporal properties compared to electrical stimulation. Materials and methods: We ..