Ultrasound is a true innovation in modern medicine! It can be used to treat epilepsy, aortic stenosis and Alzheimer’s disease. That’s why PRS Healthcare, experts in ultrasound probe repair, are constantly looking for new applications. And today we have one for you: ultrasound in the fight against retinal degeneration. This is the project of American researchers whose aim is to restore sight to people suffering from these diseases. Let us go and see!
Reminder
Genetic retinal diseases can affect the elderly as well as the very young. According to the IRPP, degenerative eye diseases affect 40,000 people in France. It is also one of the main causes of blindness worldwide.
A study to restore sight
A study by researchers at the University of Southern California may have had an impact on the fight against these diseases. The aim is to use ultrasound to stimulate nerve cells in the retina through a prosthesis. With this technique, signals could be sent back to the brain and areas of the cerebral cortex could be stimulated. As a result, vision could be restored.
A ray of hope !
The experiment was carried out on blind rats. In one of the blind rats, a small group of nerve cells was found to be active in the eye. So there’s hope for research in this area!
Still in the study phase
However, it is important to note that these tests are not yet suitable for humans. Researchers need to study the subject in more depth. In particular, the signal emitted by the prosthesis is not strong enough. In fact, it is difficult to set up high image frequencies. This did not work during the test. If the frequency was too low, the images would be too jerky. What’s more, patients have to wear special glasses with an integrated camera and ultrasound transducer.
So there’s still work to be done, but this innovation offers great hope for people with retinal disease. What’s more, you can follow the progress of this breakthrough on the news page of our laboratory, experts in ultrasound probe repair.
