Voice 1
Hello and welcome to Spotlight. I'm Steve Myersco.
Voice 2
And I'm Ruby Jones. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 3
"For thirty [30] years I have seen absolutely nothing at all. Everything was black. But now, light is coming through!"
Voice 1
A man called Ron said these words. Ron became blind when he was forty years old. But now, thirty years later, he has the chance to see again! Ron is a patient in important medical tests at a hospital in London. These tests involve fitting blind people with some complex electronic equipment. But will they really be able to see again one day?
Voice 2
Ron suffers from an eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa, or RP. People suffer from RP when their retinas stop working as they should. The retina is the part of the eye that reacts to light. So, anything affecting the retina will affect a person's ability to see. Someone with RP may first have problems seeing at night. Then, he may not be able to see anything that is not directly in front of him. Later, he will find it difficult to read and to tell the difference between colours. Often, people with RP do not go completely blind like Ron did. But they will always have limited eyesight.
Voice 1
Retinitis Pigmentosa affects almost 40 million people around the world. It is a hereditary condition. It passes from one generation to another. You may even have a friend or family member who suffers from RP. If so, a device like the Argus 2 Bionic Eye could one day help improve his or her eyesight! Argus 2 is the name of the piece of equipment fitted into Ron's eye. For years, this kind of technology only existed in science fiction stories! A television series called The "Bionic Man" is a good example of this. The hero of the story was badly injured during a flight into space. Scientists replaced all the damaged parts of his body with bionic equipment. After that, the man could see better, run faster and carry heavier objects - all thanks to complex technology!
Voice 2
The Bionic Man was just a story. But Ron's Argus 2 Bionic eye is very real! So, how does it work? First of all, expert eye doctors operated on Ron at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. They placed an implant inside the eye - on the retina. The implant is a small flat device that can send and receive electrical signals. After this operation, the doctors gave Ron special glasses to wear. The glasses looked like sunglasses, but they contained a very small video camera. When Ron looked at an object, the camera captured the light from the object he was looking at. The camera then sent a signal to a receiver on the outside of Ron's eye. From there, the receiver passed an electronic signal to the implant on the retina. This then caused the implant to communicate with the main nerve in the eye - the optic nerve. The optic nerve then did its usual job - sending an image to the brain!
Voice 1
At present, Ron cannot yet see an exact image of what he is looking at. All he sees is light with different levels of brightness. He explains:
Voice 3
"The glasses give me levels of bright light to black... I can now sort out white clothes, grey clothes and black clothes! My one desire now is to be able to go out on a nice, clear evening and see the moon!"
Voice 1
Doctors plan to continue experimenting with Ron and the Argus 2 for another two and a half years. Lyndon Da Cruz is the expert eye doctor who operated on Ron. He explains how over time, the Argus 2 will help Ron in everyday life:
Voice 4
"First, I would like him to be able to identify objects in his way when he walks. Things like a street light, a table, other people walking by... I think that will help him... because he will be able to identify objects, and places where he is. And that will improve his chances of being able to do more things."
Voice 1
Ron's wife agrees. She is pleased that Ron is part of this experiment. She says:
Voice 5
"He is involved in something that could help people become independent again. I think this is a really big thing. I hope this is going to be the first step of many for people with eye problems."
Voice 2
However, some eye experts warn against expecting too much, too soon from devices like Argus 2. Professor John Marshall is one of the governors of the aid group ‘RP: Fighting Blindness'. He welcomes the development of Argus 2. But he also says:
Voice 6
"It will be a long time before devices like this can produce a true, meaningful image... the eye is hugely complex. It requires millions of links to work correctly."
Voice 1
Another expert says that calling the Argus 2 ‘the bionic eye' gives a false idea that people can see normally with it. In fact the current devices are only a small step on the way.
Voice 2
The makers of Argus 2 are the Second Sight medical products company. They agree that any improvement for any blind person with RP needs time. However, they remain sure that the Argus 2 will be able to bring light to people's darkness. Gregoire Cosendai works for Second Sight. He says:
Voice 7
"In fifty [50] years' time, I hope that people will be able to read with the Argus 2 system."
Voice 1
So, will the idea of a man with bionic eyesight become real one day? It is easy to imagine it could. Other scientists are working on a medical treatment for RP that uses stem cells. The long-term future looks promising for RP sufferers. But for now, Ron is happy to be part of this historical medical test. He says:
Voice 3
"I think it is an honour to be able to be a part of an experiment such as this. I hope that the result will be that people like me who are completely blind will be able to see."
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