February 15, 2002

"First Trials and Future Technologies for Artificial Retinas"
by Dr. Alan Chow, M.D
Optobionics Corporation
Wheaton, IL

Retinitis Pigmentosa and Age-Related Macular Degeneration are leading causes of retinal blindness in industrialized countries. Optobionics Corporation has developed a microphotodiode array, known as the Artificial Silicon RetinaT implanted under the retina using micro surgical techniques, to electrically stimulate damaged retinal cells to produce vision. Future technologies for artificial retina development along with the first ASR human clinical trials will be discussed.

Bio Sketch

Dr. Chow is a founder and CEO of Optobionics Corporation where he heads a team of scientists and engineers in their development of the Artificial Silicon RetinaT (ASRT) vision prosthesis. In June of 2000 and July of 2001, he led a team of surgeons to perform the world's first implantations of the ASR in six blind patients. Dr. Chow received his BA in biology from the University of Chicago and his MD from Loyola University. He completed internships in pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's/GSH and in surgery at Loyola where he also completed his ophthalmology residency. Dr. Chow was a Heed Fellow in pediatric ophthalmology at the Children's Hospital National Medical Center and a Knapp Fellow in ophthalmic genetics at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Chow has received grants and awards for scientific achievement from NASA, Westinghouse, the National Science Foundation, the NIH and the SBA. In 1996 he received the Chicago Inventor of the Year along with his brother Vincent for their work in developing the ASR, and in 2000 the Tibbetts Award from the Small Business Innovation Research Program. Dr. Chow is a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Eye Center at Chicago and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Tulane University Eye Center. He is a frequent national and international lecturer and is the author of numerous articles, book chapters and patents. He is a reviewer for multiple peer reviewed journals and is a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.