CMOS microtransceivers in ophthalmology

Transceivers serve to receive and transmit various transponder data, such as identification or sensory information, using mainly RF links. An interesting category are transponders that extract their power from the transmitted RF carrier since this enables batteryless operation. This feature is useful for many applications, such as medical implantable devices, because transcutaneous links can be realized using RF. Percutaneous links would require direct electrical connection, i.e. cables or wires through the skin thus incurring infection risk and long term patient trauma. Battery-operated devices, on the other hand, suffer from limited battery lifetime. In the following we present two interesting applications involving RF-based CMOS transceivers from the area of ophthalmology. The first one is a retina implant system and the second one is a programmable intraocular pressure sensor system.