Combined Nano-fabrication process for Hybrid Retinal Implant - A Novel Approach for Sight Restoration

Retinal degenerative diseases are characterized by degeneration of the photoreceptors, while the remaining retinal neurons are relatively well preserved. Although current available retinal prostheses can restore some vision, it has an inherently limited spatial resolution. Here we present a novel concept, the "Hybrid retinal implant" (HRI), which is based on a high-density electrode array integrated with glutamatergic cells, sealed inside a 3D well-like structure, which aims at mimicking natural vision processes and vision restoration at high acuity. Using combined fabrication processes of conventional photolithography and 3D nano-printing techniques we were fabricated the hybrid implant at electrode size (15µm). In-vitro culturing techniques together with SEM, FIB and confocal microscopy have shown enhanced cell-electrode coupling and good cell viability over a week on the implant. Moreover, in-vivo OCT imaging have shown good anatomical integration of the implant in the rat retina. This work is an important step towards the realization of the hybrid retinal implant concept which can improve prosthetic vision quality in the blind.