Optimizing the Electrical Stimulation of Retinal Ganglion Cells

Abstract

Epiretinal prostheses aim to restore visual perception in the blind through electrical stimulation of surviving retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). While the effects of several waveform parameters (e.g., phase duration) on stimulation efficacy have been described, their relative influence remains unclear. Further, morphological differences between RGC classes represent a key source of variability that has not been accounted for in previous studies. Here we investigate the effect of electrical stimulus waveform parameters on activation of an anatomically homogenous RGC population and describe a technique for identifying optimal stimulus parameters to minimize the required stimulus charge. Response..