Retinal prostheses are devices used to replaced the damaged retina, where the damage may
result from different causes including retinal detachment, age-related macular degeneration and
retinitis pigmentosa. Current commercial products are capable of recovering light perception
and help patients in navigation. One important approach for improving retinal prostheses involves
eliminating or minimising hardware limitations, such as the resolution of electrodes.
A second and complementary approach, involves improving our understanding of retinal information
processing. This understanding is a fundamental key to enhancing the performance as well as
the design of retinal prostheses. The current project chooses to study retinal information
processing through simulation modelling methods. These methods have the potential to ellucidate the
structure and function of retinal circuits, and the resulting insights should allow us to design
more effective retinal prostheses.
