UC Irvine

Background

Quantitatively investigating the biomechanics of retina with a retinal prosthetic electrode, we explored the effects of the prosthetic electrode on the retina, and further supplemented data for a potential clinical trial.

Methods

Biomechanical properties were assessed with a high resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) based elastography (OCE) system. A shaker was used to initiate elastic waves and an OCT system was used to track axial displacement along with wave propagation. Rabbits received surgery to implant the retinal prosthetic electrode, and elastic wave speed was measured before and after implantation; anatomical B-mode images were also acquired.

Results

Spatial-temporal maps of each layer in retina with and without prosthetic electrodes were acquired. Elastic wave speed of nerve fiber to inner plexiform layer, inner nuclear to outer nuclear layer, retinal pigmented epithelium layer and choroid to sclera layer without prosthetic electrode were found to be 3.66±0.36, 5.33±0.07, 6.85±0.37, and 9.69±0.24 m/s, respectively. With prosthetic electrode, the elastic wave speed was found to be 4.09±0.26, 5.14±0.11, 6.88±0.70, and 9.99±0.73 m/s, respectively in each layer.

Conclusions

Our results show that the elastic wave speed in each layer of retina is slightly faster with the retinal electrode, and further demonstrate that the retinal prosthetic electrode does not affect biomechanical properties significantly. In the future, we expect OCE technology to be used by clinicians where it could become part of routine testing and evaluation of the biomechanical properties of the retina in response to long term use of prosthetic electrodes in patients.