Posters
Intraocular projector for patients with corneal blindness unsuitable for keratoplasty
Poster Details
First Author: Y.Nahum ISRAEL
Co Author(s): O. Ziv T. Exterman Y. Hadad
Abstract Details
Purpose:
Corneal opacification is a primary cause of treatable blindness. Annually, approximately 100,000 keratoplasties are performed worldwide, though it is estimated that the number of patients is orders of magnitude greater. Patients with severe ocular surface disease such as Stevens Johnson Syndrome or Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid are not good candidates for conventional keratoplasty. The gold standard treatment for these patients is Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis , a demanding multistage high-risk procedure. For these patients, an intraocular projector can possibly provide the retina an image of good quality, bypassing the opaque cornea.
Setting:
Proof of Concept study
Methods:
The presented project is a proof of concept study of an intraocular projector. This device will receive data and energy wirelessly from an external device, and will project an image onto the retina. A thorough study of the relevant physical and biological constraints was performed, and two proof-of-concept experiments were made. In the first one, a eyeglasses-mounted camera was connected to a cellphone via wifi. In the second one, a 5X5mm image was projected from the cellphone through a pinhole onto a screen 12mm away.
Results:
In the first experiment, data from the eyeglasses-mounted camera could be transferred online to the cellphone. In the second experiment, blurry images could be readily identified on the screen, simulating a possible projection solution that is independent of axial length.
Conclusions:
An image generated by an external device can be transferred to a projecting device, and projected 1.2mm away with reasonable quality. Further research and development of this concept should focus of the miniaturization and encapsulation of the projector itself, energy transfer and improvement of image quality.
Financial Disclosure:
None
