The ASR was designed to stimulate damaged retinal cells from within the retina to allow the cells to recreate visual signals that are processed and sent to the brain.

Commercial Partners

• Optobionics

  Glen Ellyn, IL, USA

Milestones

• 2000: First patient implanted

Background

The ASR is a 2 mm in diameter and 25 microns in thickness silicon chip that gets placed under the retina - a “subretinal space” - to allow the microphotodiodes on a chip to produce visual signals similar to signals produced by photoreceptors. Signaling activities from the chip induce visual signals on the remaining retinal cells, which relay the visual signals to the brain. The practical advantage of the ASR microchip is its lack of batteries and wiring while the chip is powered by incidental light. The ASR microchip has so far been implanted in 42 patients with RP with reported improvements in acuity, contrast and color perception, and expansion of visual field.

Device Specifications

• Number of electrodes: 5000 microphotodiodes
• Electrode diameter: 25 μm
• Image processor location: subretinal