Artificial retina device

The present invention provides an artificial retina device (10) for electrically stimulating a neuroretina of an eye to produce artificial vision. The artificial retina device (10) comprises: a stimulating electrode unit (12) having at least one stimulating electrode (23b, 27) for connection with an electrical source; and a ground return electrode unit (16) having at least one ground return electrode (14, 14a) for connection with the electrical source. The at least one stimulating electrode (23b, 27) of the stimulating electrode unit (12) is configured to be disposed or implanted for electrical contact with at least one of individual cells, groups of cells, portions of cells and nerve fibers of the neuroretina, and the at least one ground return electrode (14, 14a) of the ground return electrode unit (16) is configured to be disposed or implanted at a position spaced from the stimulating electrode unit (12) for transretinal stimulation of the neuroretina. The at least one stimulating electrode (23b, 27) and the at least one ground return electrode (14, 14a) are desirably configured to be disposed or implanted on opposite sides of the neuroretina.