Visual prostheses based on Silicon PhotoMultiplier: The SPEye project

Some genetically based degenerative illnesses of retina cause total or partial blindness in ∼1/4000 people totaling ∼1.5 million visually impaired. No cure is available and the only chance of improved vision is a visual prosthesis replacing the damaged retina. Some projects have delivered interesting but still not fully satisfactory results in the last 20 years. An innovative approach based on subretinic implant of SiPM exploiting its internal amplification is presented. Progress in implementing this approach is presented.