Artificial Eye

A SEMINAR REPORT

submitted to

SSM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

by

Junaid ul islam

ENROLLMENT: 7100

in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree

of

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING
in
ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

SSM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
DIVAR PARIHASPORA PATTAN.

JANUARAY-2021
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Here I gladly present this seminar report on “Artificial Eye” as part of 7th semester B.E (Electronics
& Communication). At this time of submitting this report, I have got an opportunity to mention those
people who helped me along the work. I take this occasion to thank Allah, the Almighty for blessing
me with his grace and taking my endeavor to a successful culmination. I extent my sincere and
heartfelt thanks to my esteemed guide Er. Inayat for providing me with the right guidance and advice
at the crucial junctures and for showing me the right way. I extent my sincere thanks to my respected
HOD Er. Manzoor Ahmad Mir for allowing me to use the facilities available. I would like to thank
other faculty members also, at this occasion. Last but not the least; I would like to thank friends and
family for encouragement and support, they have given me during the course of my work.

Junaid ul islam

17203135052

DEPARMENT OF E&C
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 SSM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

DIVAR PARIHASPORA, PATTAN.

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the seminar report entitled “ARTIFICIAL EYE” is a paper

presented by Junaid ul islam bearing enrollment number 7100 in partial fulfillment

for the award of Degree of Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and

Communication Engineering.

Seminar Guide Seminar Coordinator

ER. Majid Darwaish ER. Shah Anayat Ullah

Head Of Department

Er Manzoor Ahmad Mir

DEPARMENT OF E&C
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 ABSTRACT
For those millions of us whose vision isn't perfect, there are glasses. But for those hundreds of

thousands who are blind, devices that merely assist the eyes just aren't enough. What they need are

alternative routes by which the sights of the world can enter the brain and be interpreted. Technology

has created many path ways for the mankind. Now technology has improved to that extent where in

the entire human body can be controlled using a single electronic chip. We have seen prosthetics that

helped to overcome handicaps. Bio medical engineers play a vital role the course of these prosthetics.

Now it is the turn of artificial vision through bionic eyes. Chips designed specially to imitate the

characteristics of the damaged retina and the cones and rods of the organ of sight are implanted with a

microsurgery. Linking electronics and biotechnology, the scientists has made the commitment to

the development of technology that will provide or restore vision for the visually impaired around the

world. This multidisciplinary nature of the ‘new technology’ has inspired me to present this paper.

There is hope for the blind in the form of bionic eyes. This technology can add life to their vision less

eyes

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CONTENTS

Title Page

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT......................................................................................................ii

CERTIFICATE...................................................................................................................... iii

ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................................iv

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................1

CHAPTER 2: WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL EYE?.....................................................................2

CHAPTER 3: THE HISTORY OF ARTIFICIAL EYES....................................................3

CHAPTER 4: HOW EYES WORK?.....................................................................................4

CHAPTER 5: VISUAL SYSTEM..........................................................................................5

CHAPTER 6: THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS……………………………………...7

CHAPTER 7: THE EYE.......................................................................................................10

7.1 EPI RETINAL ENCODER…………………………………………………………....11

7.2 SUB RETINAL IMPLANTATION…………………………………………………………….11

CHAPTER 8: HUMAN EYE CONDITIONS…………………………………………13

CHAPTER 9: THREE TYPES OF EYE REMOVAL…………………………………16

9.1 EVISCERATION……………………………………………………………………..17

9.2 ENUCLEATION……………………………………………………………………..17

9.3 EXENTERATION……………………………………………………………………17

9.4 Orbital Implants………………………………………………………………………17

CHAPTER 10: POSSIBLE CONDITIONS LEADING TO AN ARTIFICIAL EYE……18

10.1 ENUCLEATION………………………………………………………………………..18

10.2 BLIND, PAINFUL EYE……………………………………………………………….18

10.3 OCULAR MELANOMA………………………………………………………………18

10.5 TUMORS………………………………………………………………………………18

10.6 TRAUMA………………………………………………………………………………19

10.7 RUPTURED GLOBE………………………………………………………………….19

10.8 PENETRATING EYE INJURY………………………………………………………. 19

10.9 PEFORATING EYE INJURY…………………………………………………………. 19

10.11 CATARACT……………………………………………………………………………19

10.12 VITREOUS HEMORRHAGE…………………………………………………………. 19

10.13 ENDOPHTHALMITIS………………………………………………………………….. 19

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE…………………………………………………20

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………….....................21

DEPARMENT OF E&C
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

In the current scenario, where over millions of people are affected by visual anomalities, it
was with a challenge that this project came into being. It aims at restoring vision to the blind.

Today, high-tech resources in microelectronics, Optoelectronic, computer science, biomedical

engineering and also in vitreo retinal surgery are working together to realize a device for the
electrical stimulation of the visual system.

Artificial Eye, which works through retinal implants, could restore sight to millions of people
around the world who suffer from degenerative eye diseases. This technology is still in its
infancy, but has progressed to human trials. This report aims to present a brief overview about
the basic aspects of this technology and where it’s headed

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 CHAPTER 2

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL EYE?

An ocular prosthesis or artificial eye is a type of craniofacial prosthesis that replaces an absent
natural eye following an enucleation, evisceration, or orbital exenteration. The prosthesis fits
over an orbital implant and under the eyelids.
Artificial Eye technology is a visual prosthetic system. It is used for replacing dead or
damaged eyes. This technology uses a camera that interacts with the brain to simulate the optic
nerve. This is a cosmetic process to enhance the appearance of a person with eyes that have been
removed. It is not really an eye but it serves as a cover to the eye socket. The artificial eye is
also called a fake eye or glass eye.
Need For Artificial Eye Technology
This technology was created to restore the vision of the visually impaired. Many of the people
are affected by visual problems that lead to eye damages or loss of vision. The visual problems
may include enucleation, blind/painful eye, ocular melanoma, diabetic retinopathy, trauma,
ruptured globe, penetrating eye injury, perforating eye injury, cataract, etc. This technology was
needed to provide them with a way to still see the world.
The making of artificial eyes used to be a staple part of the optometrist's training and the links
with the contact lens industry are particularly strong since both areas of manufacture shared
common origins. Opticians never exercised a monopoly over their production, however, as
prosthetic eyes were also made by hospital technicians, many of whom had a background in
dental technology. With ever increasing specialism this activity has now developed into a
profession of its own, with those concentrating solely on the manufacture of eyes becoming
known as ocularists.

Even if they no longer make artificial eyes, optometrists will frequently encounter patients
with a 'false' eye and generations of trainees have been put through the rite of passage of being
asked to refract a patient with unusually unresponsive pupils! More seriously, an awareness of
the psychological benefits provided by an ocular prosthesis, as well as perhaps unforeseen
drawbacks (the fear of discovery), is an important stage in understanding the needs of the
patient.

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 CHAPTER 3

THE HISTORY OF ARTIFICIAL EYES

Prior to World War II, ocular prosthetics were made of specialized blown glass that collapsed
to form a concave shape. During and after World War II this glass became increasing difficult to
obtain. Soon, acrylic and other plastic polymers were being used for many of the uses previously
exclusive to glass. An exciting use of this new material was for artificial eyes, or ocular
prosthetics. Acrylic revolutionized the art and process of making ocular prosthetics.

In comparison to glass, acrylic provided better comfort and fit. Glass artificial eyes frequently
needed replacing and broke easily. Acrylic improved the techniques for making artificial eyes
such as impression molding, blending and allowed for easier changes in shape, color or size of
an ocular prosthesis.

The first user of the visual prosthetic was a woman based in Iran back in 2900 and 2800 B.C.
It was made of a light material that is believed to be bitumen paste. It was only one inch in
diameter. Its surface made use of the Gold and also had thin strands of gold thread that were
used to attach the prosthetic to the woman’s eye socket. It is also believed that Roman and
Egyptian priests used such eye prosthetics as early as 5th century B.C. Before World War II,
ocular prosthetics were made using a special blown glass that formed a concave shape. During
the war, this glass was very difficult to find. As a result, plastics and acrylics were used. In
comparison to glass, acrylic eyes were more durable, more comfortable, and needed lesser
replacements due to lesser breakage.

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 CHAPTER 4

HOW EYES WORK?

The light coming from an object enters the eye through cornea and pupil. The eye lens
converges these light rays to form a real, inverted and diminished image on the retina. The light
sensitive cells of the retina get activated with the incidence of light and generate electric signals.
These electric signals are sent to the brain by the optic nerves and the brain interprets the
electrical signals in such away that we see an image which is erect and of the same size as the
object.

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 CHAPTER 5

VISUAL SYSTEM
The human visual system is remarkable instrument. It features two mobile acquisition units
each has formidable preprocessing circuitry placed at a remote location from the central
processing system (brain). Its primary task include transmitting images with a viewing angle of
at least 140deg and resolution of 1 arc min over a limited capacity carrier, the million or so
fibers in each optic nerve through these fibers the signals are passed to the so called higher
visual cortex of the brain.

The nerve system can achieve this type of high volume data transfer by confining such
capability to just part of the retina surface, whereas the center of the retina has a 1:1 ration
between the photoreceptors and the transmitting elements, the far periphery has a ratio of 300:1.
This results in gradual shift in resolution and other system parameters.

At the brain’s highest level the visual cortex an impressive array of feature extraction
mechanisms can rapidly adjust the eye’s position to sudden movements in the peripherals filed
of objects too small tose when stationary. The visual system can resolve spatial depth
differences by combining signals from both eyes with a precision less than one tenth the size of
a single photoreceptor.

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6
 CHAPTER 6

THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS

The time to make an ocular prosthesis from start to finish varies with each ocularist and the
individual patient. A typical time is about 3.5 hours. Ocularists continue to look at ways to
reduce this time.

There are two types of prostheses. The very thin, shell type is fitted over a blind, disfigured
eye or over an eye which has been just partially removed. The full modified impression type is
made for those who have had eyeballs completely removed. The process described here is for
the latter type.

1. The ocularist inspects the condition of the socket. The horizontal and vertical dimensions
and the periphery of the socket are measured.

2. The ocularist paints the iris. An iris button (made from a plastic rod using a lathe) is
selected to match the patient's own iris diameter. Typically, iris diameters range from 0.4-
0.52 in (10-13 mm). The iris is painted on the back, flat side of the button and checked
against the patient's iris by simply reversing the buttons so that the color can be seen
through the dome of plastic. When the color is finished, the ocularist removes the
conformer, which prevents contraction of the eye socket.

3. Next, the ocularist hand carves a wax molding shell. This shell has an aluminum iris
button imbedded in it that duplicates the painted iris button. The wax shell is fitted into the
patient's socket so that it matches the irregular periphery of the socket. The shell may have
to be reinserted several times until the aluminum iris button is aligned with the patient's
remaining eye. Once properly fitted, two relief holes are made in the wax shell.

4. The impression is made using alginate, a white powder made from seaweed that is mixed
with water to form a cream, which is also used by dentists to make impressions of gums.
After mixing, the cream is placed on the back side of the molding shell and the shell is

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 inserted into the socket. The alginate gels in about two minutes and precisely duplicates
the individual eye socket. The wax shell is removed, with the alginate

For a conventional implant, the surgeon removes the eyeball by severing the muscles, which
are connected to the sclera (white of eyeball). The surgeon then cuts the optic nerve and
removes the eye from the socket. An implant is then placed into the socket to restore lost
volume and to give the artificial eye some movement, and the wound is closed. Impression of
the eye socket attached to the back side of the wax shell.

5. The iris color is then rechecked and any necessary changes are made. The plastic
conformer is reinserted so that the final steps can be completed.

6. A plaster-of-paris cast is made of the mold of the patient's eye socket. After the plaster has
hardened (about seven minutes), the wax and alginate mold is removed and discarded. The
aluminum iris button has left a hole in the plaster mold into which the painted iris button is
placed. White plastic is then put into the cast, the two halves of the cast are put back
together and then placed under pressure and plunged into boiling water. This reduces the

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 water temperature and the plastic is thus cured under pressure for about 23 minutes. The
cast is then removed from the water and cooled.

7. The plastic has hardened in the shape of the mold with the painted iris button imbedded in
the proper place. About 0.5 mm of plastic is then removed from the anterior surface of the
prosthesis. The white plastic, which overlaps the iris button, is ground down evenly around
the edge of the button. This simulates how the sclera of the living eye slightly overlaps the
iris. The sclera is colored using paints, chalk, pencils, colored thread, and a liquid plastic
syrup to match the patient's remaining eye. Any necessary alterations to the iris color can
also be made at this point.

8. The prosthesis is then returned to the cast. Clear plastic is placed in the anterior half of the
cast and the two halves are again joined, placed under pressure, and returned to the hot
water. The final processing time is about 30 minutes. The cast is then removed and cooled,
and the finished prosthesis is removed. Grinding and polishing the prosthesis to a high
luster is the final step. This final polishing is crucial to the ultimate comfort of the patient.
The prosthesis is finally ready for fitting.

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 CHAPTER 7

THE EYE
The main part in our visual system is the eye. Our ability to see is the result of a process very
similar to that of a camera. A camera needs a lens and a film to produce an image. In the same
way, the eyeball needs a lens (cornea, crystalline lens, vitreous) to refract, or focus the light and
a film (retina) on which to focus the rays. The retina represents the film in our camera. It
captures the image and sends it to the brain to be developed.

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 7.1 EPI Retinal Encoder

The design of an epiretinal encoder is more complicated than the sub retinal encoder, because
it has to feed the ganglion cells. Here, a retina encoder (RE) outside the eye replaces the
information processing of the retina. A retina stimulator (RS), implanted adjacent to the retinal
ganglion cell layer at the retinal 'output', contacts a sufficient number of retinal ganglion
cells/fibers for electrical stimulation. A wireless (Radio Frequency) signal- and energy
transmission system provides the communication between RE and RS. The RE, then, maps
visual patterns onto impulse sequences for a number of contacted ganglion cells by means of
adaptive dynamic spatial filters. This is done by a digital signal processor, which, handles the
incoming light stimuli with the master processor, implements various adaptive, antagonistic,
receptive field filters with the other four parallel processors, and generates asynchronous pulse
trains for each simulated ganglion cell output individually. These spatial filters as biology-
inspired neural networks can be 'tuned' to various spatial and temporal receptive field properties
of ganglion cells in the primate retina.

7.2 SUB Retinal Implantation

The subretinal approach is based on the fact that for instance of retinitis pigmentosa; the
neuronal network in the inner retina is preserved with a relatively intact morphology. Thus, it is
appropriate for excitation by extrinsically applied electrical current instead of intrinsically
delivered photoelectric excitation via photoreceptors. This option requires that basic features of
visual scenes such as points, bars, edges, etc. can be fed into the retinal network by electrical
stimulation of individual sites of the distal retina with a set of individual electrodes.

Subretinal approach is aiming at a direct physical replacement of degenerated photoreceptors

in the human eye, the basic function of which is very similar to that of solar cells, namely
delivering slow potential changes upon illumination. The quantum efficiency of photoreceptor
action, however, is 1000 times larger than that of the corresponding technical de-vices.

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Therefore the intriguingly simple approach of replacing degenerated photoreceptor by artificial
solar cell arrays has to overcome some difficulties, especially the energy supply for successful
retina stimulation.

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 CHAPTER 8

HUMAN EYE CONDITIONS

The purpose of this section is to provide some background on human eye conditions that can lead
to vision loss and eye removal. The journey that leads one to our office is often not a pleasant
one. We feel quite privileged to be involved in the restoration and "return to normalcy" of our
patients. We hope this information will be helpful. The various sections we cover are:

 Anatomy of the eye

 3 types of eye removal
 Orbital eye implants
 Possible conditions leading to an artificial eye
 Possible conditions leading to a sclera shell
 Eye care specialists
 Leading causes of eye loss in children

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Anatomy of the eye

 The choroid, which carries blood vessels, is the inner coat between the sclera and the
retina.

 The conjunctiva is a clear membrane covering the white of the eye (sclera).

 The cornea is a clear, transparent portion of the outer coat of the eyeball through
which light passes to the lens.

 The iris gives our eyes color and it functions like the aperture on a camera, enlarging in
dim light and contracting in bright light. The aperture itself is known as the pupil.

 The lens helps to focus light on the retina.

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 The macula is a small area in the retina that provides our most central, acute vision.
 The optic nerve conducts visual impulses to the brain from the retina
 The pupil is the opening, or aperture, of the iris.

 The retina is the innermost coat of the back of the eye, formed of light-sensitive nerve
endings that carry the visual impulse to the optic nerve. The retina may be compared
to the film of a camera.

 The sclera is the white of the eye.

 The vitreous is a transparent, colorless mass of soft, gelatinous material filling the eyeball
behind the lens.

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 CHAPTER 9

THREE TYPES OF EYE REMOVAL

9.1 EVISCERATION
Removal of the inner eye contents, iris and cornea; leaving the sclera behind with
the extra ocular muscles still attached. Typically, an orbital implant is placed inside the
sclera to replace lost eye volume. A sclera shell is fit following this eye surgery.

9.2 ENUCLEATION
Removal of the eyeball, leaving the remaining orbital contents intact; extra ocular
muscles are detached and typically reattached to an orbital implant or fat graft.
Indications: tumors, infections, blind painful eye, severe trauma. An artificial eye is fit
following this eye surgery.

9.3 EXENTERATION
Removal of the contents of the eye socket (orbit) including the eyeball, fat,
muscles and other adjacent structures of the eye. The eyelids may also be removed in
cases of cutaneous cancers and unrelenting infection. A maxillofacial prosthesis is
typically recommended following this surgery.

9.4 Orbital Implants

Should eye removal be necessary, the surgeon will likely place an orbital implant
to recover some of the volume lost in the evisceration or enucleation. The orbital
implant is attached to the 4 rectus muscles, providing movement of the implant with the
fellow eye. Typically, the better the movement of the implant, the better the motility of
the artificial eye or scleral shell.

Implant choices may be dictated by the conditions indicating eye removal, the
surgeon's preference and your post-removal objectives. Most implants are spherical

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 in shape, but other shapes are possible. Implants can also be coated or wrapped in
donor sclera or alloderm materials. Below is a list of typical orbital implants:

 Silicone or PMMA Sphere

 Medpore (porous polyethylene)
 Bio-Eye Hydroxyapatite (HA)
 Fat Graft

While implant type is an important decision to one facing enucleation or evisceration, the
most important factor is surgical technique. If you are facing the option of eye removal, we
recommend that you contact your local ocularist for a recommendation of oculoplastic or
ophthalmic surgeons in your area.

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 CHAPTER 10

POSSIBLE CONDITIONS LEADING TO AN

ARTIFICIAL EYE

The following conditions may lead to the necessity of a custom ocular prosthesis or artificial
eye. An artificial eye is fit over an orbital implant that is attached to the existing eye muscles. A
custom eye prosthesis made with an impression-fitting technique should move as well as the
tissue in the socket moves, depending on the shape and edges of the prosthesis.

10.1 ENUCLEATION
Removal of entire eye globe. An implant is placed in the tenons capsule to replace volume
lost due to eye removal. The four extra-ocular rectus muscles are attached to the implant for
motility.

10.2 BLIND, PAINFUL EYE

Condition in which eye has no light perception (NLP) and is causing pain. Enucleation is
indicated to alleviate pain and avoid risk of sympathetic ophthalmia.

10.3 OCULAR MELANOMA

A type of cancer arising from the cells of melanocytes found in the eye. Melanoma is the
most common type of ocular cancer.

10.4 DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

A leading cause of blindness in American adults, this disease is caused by changes in the
blood vessels of the retina. The vessels either leak fluid or abnormal vessels grow on the surface
of the retina. Often there are no symptoms or pain in the early stages.

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10.5 TUMORS
Many types of cancers can affect the different structures of the eye. If treatment is
unsuccessful in removing the tumor, enucleation is typically indicated.

10.6 TRAUMA
The most common cause of eye loss, trauma can take many forms; ruptured globe,
penetrating or perforating eye injury, blunt force trauma. When risk of infection or pain is
high, enucleation is typically indicated.

10.7 RUPTURED GLOBE

Full thickness wound of the eyewall caused by a blunt object or blunt force.

10.8 PENETRATING EYE INJURY

Injury to the eye that causes an entrance wound and/or an intraocular foreign body.

10.9 PEFORATING EYE INJURY

Injury to the eye that causes an entrance and exit wound as in for example a BB pellet that
enters in one location and exits another.

10.11 CATARACT
A condition in which the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, diminishing vision. Cataracts are
commonly associated with aging but also may be precipitated by trauma INFECTION - Many
types of infections can result in the loss of vision or the necessity to remove the eye to protect
the rest of the body from infection. Shingles, uveitis, endophthalmitis, corneal ulcer, etc.

10.12 VITREOUS HEMORRHAGE

Bleeding In the vitreous cavity in front of the retina. May be caused by either disease or
injury.

10.13 ENDOPHTHALMITIS

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 A serious intraocular bacterial infection, often the result of a penetrating eye injury.

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE

The application of the research work done is directed towards the people who are visually
impaired. People suffering from low vision to, people who are completely blind will benefit
from this project. The findings regarding biocompatibility of implant materials will aid in other
similar attempts for in human machine interface. Congenital defects in the body, which cannot
be fully corrected through surgery, can then be corrected.

There has been marked increase in research and clinical work aimed at understanding low vision.
Future work has to be focused on the optimization and further miniaturization of the implant
modules. Commercially available systems have started emerging that integrates video
technology, image processing and low vision research.

Implementation of an Artificial Eye has advantages. An electronic eye is more precise and
enduring than a biological eye and we cannot altogether say that this would be used only to
benefit the human race. In short successful implementation of a bioelectronic eye would
solve many of the visual anomalities suffered by human’s to date.

To be honest, the final visual outcome of a patient cannot be predicted. However, before
implantation several tests have to be performed with which the potential postoperative function
can be estimated. With this recognition of large objects and the restoration of the day-night
cycle are the primary goals of the prototype implant

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 References

1.NAGARJUNA SHARMA “BIONIC EYE”, SCRIBD, 2010.

2. American Academy of Ophthalmology, 655 Beach St. San Francisco, CA 94109, 415-
561-8500.
3. "Integrated Orbital Implants." Movements On-Line. http://www.ioi.com
4. Ocular Surgery News “http://www.slackinc.com/eye/osn/osnhome.htm”
5. http://www.slackinc.com/eye/osn/osnhome.htm.
6. Mie University School of Medicine Department of
Ophthalmology. http://www.medic.mie-u.ac.jp/ophthalmology/index.html 
7. Artificial intelligence eye http://www.questia.com/library/1P238597390/

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