According to the American Federation for the Blind approximately 10 million Americans are blind or visually impaired. Current technology used to diagnose retinal degeneration, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma has many disadvantages. Existing devices ophthalmologists use to diagnose problems associated with retinal dysfunction are Arc/Halogen based light sources with a cost of $15,000 each. These devices require expertise for design and assembly of optics, have large dimensions, have a short lifespan, need regular maintenance, and have high power consumption. The newest LED-based light sources introduced to the market (in August 2007) are expensive and have limited control of light intensity. The researchers have developed a novel light source that uses LEDs to stimulate light-sensitive cells found in the retina of the eye that is more affordable than the current technology and have a working prototype and have samples available for testing. This innovation meets all the requirements: intensity and color can be controlled, it is affordable, energy efficient, and compact. This novel design does not require using shutter devices to control exposure times. It also rescinds on the using optical density filters to control light intensity and chromatic filters to select specific wavelengths, significantly reducing light losses. Application of this light source can be used especially in electroretinography and other situations when the study of light-sensitive cells is pertinent. Electroretinography is routinely used in the medical field to check retinal health and in research laboratories to evaluate retinal function in transgenic animal models of eye disease. Unlike its current competition this device is affordable, energy efficient, compact, and environmentally friendly.

File Number: R1626-100 

Other Information: Principal Investigator: Mohammad Haeri Additional Investigators: Eduardo Solessio