Electronic Vision System for Opaque Corneas

This work presents a prototype of an electronic vision system intended to restore sight in patients with bilateral corneal opacification. The proposed final system comprises an external camera-equipped module for image capture and processing, and an intraocular device implanted through a standard cataract surgery procedure. The intraocular module is envisioned to include a micro-display, an optical system to project images onto the retina, and a low-power application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) capable of wirelessly receiving image data—using, for example, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), as implemented in the prototype—though other wireless communication protocols may be considered in future iterations. A proof-of-concept prototype was developed using commercial off-the-shelf components, including a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W and an ESP32 microcontroller, achieving real-time image transmission at 2 frames per second. 3D-printed components and an optical lens system were used to represent the ocular environment and validate image projection. These results demonstrate the feasibility of the concept and highlight its potential for vision restoration in cases of corneal opacity. Future work will focus on designing a dedicated ASIC to reduce power consumption and improve system integration and performance.