Glasses project images directly onto retina with mini-laser

The retina, is of course, a layer of cells on the back of the eyeball that receive light from other parts of the eye and then trigger nerve impulses that send information to the parts of the brain that decipher the imagery data that is sent. The new glasses override the function of the lens and other associated eye parts, making it possible for people with problems of the outer eye to see.

The glasses have been developed as a medical device intended to help people with vision problems, but the researchers also plan to market the glasses as a VR device as well.

The approach appears to have an advantage over other such efforts because the glasses look very nearly like ordinary glasses—the technology is hidden inside reducing bulk. That sets them apart from cumbersome goggles or even devices such as Google Glass.

As a medical device, the glasses are intended to help weak-sighted people, those who have trouble focusing, for example, not those who are blind. Weak-sightedness is typically caused by problems with the muscles that control lens focusing—projecting directly onto the retina bypasses such problems and thus represents a new approach to restoring vision in such patients.

Representatives with QD Laser claim the glasses will provide wide viewing, high brightness and multi-position and focus-free viewing.

Despite being billed as utilising an ordinary pair of glasses, the prototype is still a little bulky, reporters at the Expo noted, but the company hopes to make them less so—there is also of course the issue of how much power is needed to run the glasses and how sharp of an image they can produce.

The company plans to commercialise the glasses sometime this month with finished improvements by the end of next year.