The artificial vision conference hosted by Dr.

Arturo Santos Garca was aimed at attempting to convey a way in which artificial vision is currently being handled at the Mexican Retina Association. Dr. Santos was incredibly clear when trying to explain this process and the way in which the system that Dr. Santos along with other doctors have developed, is installed into the patients eye and allows for a merely functional vision. Although the result of this process is not nearly as close at to what true vision is like, it serves as a good alternative for those patients who cannot perceive objects around them. Human sight is incredibly important to us. It is, arguably, the most important sense of all. This sense allows for us, humans to relate to our environment and feel a part of it. The context in which we interact determines our conducts and the way in which we react to particular circumstances. There are several elements involved in the process of sight and what Dr. Santos and his team, composed of international as well as national doctors attempt to emulate are some of these parts, or rather, their function in the system. Retina is the most important tissue in the vision process. This is composed mainly of neuro receptors. There are two types of receptors in the retina: rods and cones. These two have specialized functions, one allows for the distinction of color and the other one is specialized for night vision. The cones are located more near the periphery of the retina. Rodopsin is located in the interstitial space. The excitement of this part of the eye leads to a hyperpolarization. The result of this hyperpolarization is what is understood as the basis between the interactions of photoreceptors with the glial cells. The way in which the sight works is the following. First, the initial ocular stimulus occurs. This is done through the photoreceptors that responds to light impulses located everywhere around us. Afterwards, the ocular never transports the stimuli to the occipital region. Each eye sends the respective information from each hemisphere in order to combine both images and give depth to the field of vision. The electromagnetic energy is reflected and is perceived by the eye. Finally, the image is projected inversely, yet the brain processes it the other way around which is why we are able to see things straightly. The foundations of the system that Dr. Santos and his team have developed is based in a chip that is designed to substitute the photoreceptors

that are originally found in the eye. This pseudo-photoreceptor then transmits the signals it receives into chemical receptors that interact with the eye to convey the image. The chip is located in the macula and the outer device is set on a pair of glasses that transmits the images wirelessly to the device. This system by itself would not work if it werent for the retinin cells that are found in the system that can still be stimulated. People who are born without these cells are not eligible for the program since the system is not able to transmit the information. The region one is where the two images are combined from each hemisphere in order to give depth to the image. The system has mostly been used as an alternative vision for a disease called Retina Pigmentosa. In this disease, a dystrophy occurs that affects the rods, and afterwards, the cones. This results in a difficulty to see at night and in general, a bad field of vision. This is caused by an extreme depletion of the external side of the retina. The disease can be classified in three stages, or categories: initial, moderate and advanced, each pertinent to how much retina has been depleted. The recovery process in this disease is based not in developing vision but rather, in preserving the inner retina. Two prototypes of the Argus system have been developed as an alternate way to see. Argus I, the former system of artificial vision consists of sixteen electrodes. It was tested initially in six subjects over the course of five implants for every five years, and afterwards totaled a final number of 35 patients being trialed. These medical trails consisted in having the patient locate objects, orient themselves within their house, and afterwards, be able to do some basic home usage such as opening doors. Also, mobility in general was tested in order to see the performance of movement in the patients. As a result, patients were able to differentiate the orientation of lines that were projected in a white screen. They described them as horizontal, parallel or descending from left to right or vice versa. The patients were able to do so after scanning the image. The latter form of the system was the Argus II. This system consisted of 60 electrodes and therefore allows for a much better field of vision and clearer and faster images. They used a new material that allowed for a smaller size and more capacity to process the images. This form of the system was studied in

Europe, United States and Mexico. The financing was done both internationally and nationally. The patient trials were directed with a criteria of inclusion, this is, not everyone was able to join the program. The requisites they must have were advanced ganglion cells that function properly, that the patient was able to see before the trial, they must be 18 years or older and finally, that the patient must live in a city where the trial can be administered at a nearby clinic or hospital. However, some of the secondary effects of the trial were hypertonia, were a resistance is developed in the muscle tissue and hence, inhibits any possible movement. Another secondary effect was infection, where patients developed complications resulting from an infection of the eye caused directly by the inclusion of the Argus system.