Suns fans – there is hope for Amare yet!

Thanks to an anonymous tip, I received an article published by BBC News that a US company (Second Sight) has developed a bionic eye (called the Argus II) that has helped about 18 formerly blind patients see again. 

And the cool part?  The glasses it requires patients to use look earily similar to the ones Amare wore once a few times. 

According to article, the device consists of a ”camera and video processor mounted on sunglassesto send captured images wirelessly to a tiny receiver on the outside of the eye.  In turn, the receiver passes on the data via a tiny cable to an array of electrodes which sit on the retina – the layer of specialised cells that normally respond to light found at the back of the eye.  When these electrodes are stimulated they send messages along the optic nerve to the brain, which is able to perceive patterns of light and dark spots corresponding to which electrodes have been stimulated. The hope is that patients will learn to interpret the visual patterns produced into meaningful images.”

Basically, it replaces the retina!  Amare…come on down! 

Apparently, the results can be astounding.   The BBC followed 73-year-old patient named Ron who received the bionic eye.  Ron says, “for 30 years I’ve seen absolutely nothing at all, it’s all been black, but now light is coming through. Suddenly to be able to see light again is truly wonderful.”

Again, click here for the article and here for the video (embedding was disabled).