Blindness, Physical and Spiritual

Called “Argus” — named after the mythological Greek god who had 100 eyes — this innovative system can help blind people to see by providing them with an artificial retina.

Here is how it works: Doctors mount a small video camera on a pair of sunglasses. They connect this camera to a tiny electronic implant in the eye. They connect the implant to damaged photoreceptors on the retina of the patient— photoreceptors known as rods and cones. Then the images from the camera pass through the implant and stimulate the photoreceptors, which transmit signals to the brain through the optic nerve.

According to researchers at the 2005 meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, doctors have successfully implanted these artificial retinas in six patients, allowing them to see light and detect motion. Developed by researchers from the University of Southern California and the Doheny Eye Institute, this system works only with patients with degenerated rods and cones, a condition that is often caused by disease.

In February of 2013, Argus II found its production. The New York Times says the device allows people with a certain type of blindness to detect crosswalks on the street, the presence of people or cars, and sometimes even large numbers or letters.

The artificial retina is a sheet of electrodes implanted in the eye. They give the patient glasses with an attached camera and a portable video processor. This system allows visual signals to bypass the damaged portion of the retina and transmit to the brain.

With the artificial retina or retinal prosthesis, a blind person cannot see in the conventional sense, but can identify outlines and boundaries of objects, especially when there is contrast between light and dark — fireworks against a night sky or black socks mixed with white ones.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/15/health/fda-approves-technology-to-give-limited-vision-to-blind-people.html?_r=0

Here is the point. As human beings, we will go to great lengths to cure physical blindness. Artificial retinas are an amazing innovation. They focus on degenerated rods and cones.

Yet, when it comes to another form of blindness, we will hesitate to seek healing. Blindness of mind and spirit is serious, we need healing, but we avoid the medicine.

Maybe our personal darkness comes from depression, or disillusionment, or doubt. Perhaps it originates in discouraging work or a deteriorating relationship. Maybe it comes from having nothing to look forward to, no contribution to make, or no one to love.

Suddenly, the people who walk in darkness are able to see a great light, and those who dwell in a land of darkness — on them the light shines! (Isaiah 9:2).

In fact, if you read Isaiah 9:2-7, you will find that the prophet wants us to see the world differently. Do we dare?

⁶ For a child has been born for us,

a son given to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders;

and he is named

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.