The Argus II is a retinal prosthesis device developed by Second Sight Medical Products, designed for individuals with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition characterized by severe vision impairment. As an epiretinal implant, it is placed directly on the retina's surface and consists of a small camera on eyeglasses that captures visual data. This data is processed by a portable unit and transmitted wirelessly to an electrode array in the eye, stimulating the retina's remaining cells to send visual information to the brain.

Approved by the FDA in 2013 and previously granted the CE Mark in 2011 in Europe, the Argus II was the first retinal implant to receive these certifications, allowing users to perform basic visual tasks.

However, in 2019, Second Sight discontinued the Argus II due to financial challenges, shifting their focus to the development of the Orion Visual Cortical Prosthesis System, intended to stimulate the brain's visual cortex directly.

Commercial Partner

• Second Sight Medical Products

  Sylmar, CA, USA

Milestones

• 2011: First patient implanted
• 2011: CE mark approval
• 2013: FDA approval
• 2019: End of production

Device Specifications

• Number of electrodes: 60
• Electrode layout: 6x10
• Electrode diameter: 225 μm
• Electrode pitch: 575 μm
• Image processor location: external

Clinical Trials

• NCT00407602
• NCT02227498