Bionic eye (artificial) in Turkey, cost in Istanbul

What is a bionic eye?

The bionic eye is an optical and electronic device that partially repairs a central black-and-white vision. It is indicated for patients with retinitis pigmentosa and whose retina has preserved a minimum of vitality. The artificial retina has shown performance similar to those of the human one. Indeed, it can imitate the action of cones and rods, which are defined as the cells that capture light. They transmit visual information to the brain to form images, shapes, and colors. The artificial eye is a substitute for the retina, but it does not allow full vision correction.

Bionic eye cost & reviews

The term bionic eye describes an electronic device that allows blind persons or severely disabled (due to advanced pigment retinitis or choroiditis) to partially recover central vision. Once the surgery is well done, you can see frames displayed centrally in a small rectangle. They would follow one another in rapid sequence and grey scales. In the best cases, you can recognize shapes and read large letters. In rare cases, some colors would have been perceived, but this statement has not been objectively proven. Generally, the bionic eye cost is determined according to the patient state.

How does it work?

The bionic retinal prosthesis consists of several components. In the most advanced type, there is an artificial retina that includes artificial sensors. They are in charge of picking up the light and replacing the natural photoreceptors. These artificial sensors transmit electrical signals to the brain through the optic nerve. For this reason, this nerve must be intact; it must not have been damaged by any eye disease (such as Glaucoma). Otherwise, the bioelectric impulses cannot reach the cerebral cortex. An ocular surgeon places the bionic eye under general anesthesia. Before undergoing the surgery, the doctor performs several tests and eye exams on the patient.

Artificial device recovery

During the first postoperative weeks, it's really hard for patients to interpret what they are seeing. They only see flashes of light, which the brain must decode. The cognitive process can take six months, but the experience is worth it. If you feel any discomfort, you should immediately call your ophthalmologist.

How do you see through the artificial chip?

In the best case, you can recover a part of the central vision (at most 15 – 20 degrees). The photos come in a form of successive flashes and are composed of many black and white squares (pixels),like many mosaics in sequence (the vision is in different shades of grey).

What does the prosthesis include?

We can distinguish two large kinds of devices: those with chips placed above the retina (epiretinal) and those with chips implanted under the retina (subretinal).

We begin with the epiretinal implant, which generally consists of:

• A pair of glasses equipped with a camera and wireless transmitter
• A receiver that is inserted in the front of the eye or placed externally
• A retinal implant
• Batteries

As for the subretinal implantation, the main parts are:

• A light-sensitive chip under the retina
• External power supply and transmitter/receiver
• Batteries

How much does a prosthetic eye cost in Turkey & Istanbul?

Before using the device, our patients had to undergo a few months of laboratory training. This would allow them to understand well how to interpret the visual information provided by the artificial eye. To implant, the bionic eye in Turkey, Istanbul, and Antalya, the surgical procedure is simply used in our partner medical centers, clinics, and hospitals. This procedure is performed by integrating a row of electrodes into a small bag between the eye wall and the retina. The bionic eye cost is reasonable, like that of any other medical treatment in our hospitals and clinics in Turkey. You can ask for a free personalized quote to get more details.