Journey out of darkness: New device gives partial sight to Jason Esterhuizen
New technology gives partial sight to Jason Esterhuizen - and he shared his story with the Scenic Drive team.
At the age of 23, Jason Esterhuizen was in a terrible accident when he hit a curve and lost immediate control of his car. The accident left Esterhuizen in a world of total darkness.
The most difficult part during the first few years of his blindness - was the fact that he had to accept his blindness.
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Esterhuizen's life changed when he heard about a technical device which could possibly give blind people some sight. Esterhuizen gave the device, called Orion, a change - and it changed his life completely.
How it works:
Orian uses a camera that is attached to a pair of sunglasses. The device captures images a person would usually see and then sends the data through a handheld device to an implant that's been surgically inserted into the visual part of the brain. The implant then turns those images into dots of light that causes the patient to see.
They are still testing the device, and only six people qualified for the testing.
After 18 months of using the device, Esterhuizen is now able to clean and cook.
"I will never see again, but I can see lines, dots and the outlines of forms. Without the device, I will not be able to see."
"With the device, I can walk and be more confident. I even sort out laundry," he laughs.
