As biotechnology and regenerative medicine advances, scientists are also making strides in the development of complex prosthetics and other artifical replacements for age-damaged body parts. As RxPG News reports, the quest to develop an artifical eye is closer to fruition than you might imagine. Researchers have "published a design of an optoelectronic retinal prosthesis system that can stimulate the retina with resolution corresponding to a visual acuity of 20/80 - sharp enough to orient yourself toward objects, recognize faces, read large fonts, watch TV and, perhaps most important, lead an independent life. The researchers hope their device may someday bring artificial vision to those blind due to retinal degeneration. They are testing their system in rats, but human trials are at least three years away."

Link: http://www.rxpgnews.com/article_876.shtml