Changes: Ocular implant

Revision as of 17:21, 31 October 2006

Close-up of Geordi La Forge's ocular implants

Former drone Seven of Nine, showing the exposed ocular implant

A Borg drone with an eyepiece

An ocular implant is a medical device which replaces or enhances the eyesight of an individual.

In the Federation, ocular implants are used to give eyesight to blind or visually disabled individuals, eliminating the need for a VISOR. Doctor Katherine Pulaski performed several surgeries involving the implants prior to 2365, and offered the procedure to USS Enterprise-D chief engineer Geordi La Forge that year. He decided not to undergo the surgery at that time, because the technology was not yet advanced enough to afford the same visual range as a VISOR. (TNG: "Loud as a Whisper")

By 2373, La Forge decided to receive ocular implants. These implants are similar in appearance to a normal humanoid eye, but upon closer inspection reveal mechanical detail on the irises and pupils. They offered similar abilities to the VISOR, including infrared heat detection and telescopic zooming. (Star Trek: First Contact) Occasionally, they gave him headaches as the VISOR once did. The implants were temporarily removed in 2375 when metaphasic radiation from the rings of the Ba'ku homeworld caused La Forge's optic nerves to regenerate, giving him normal eyesight. (Star Trek: Insurrection)

La Forge also had the implants in the anti-time future of TNG: "All Good Things...".

Doctor Julian Bashir once suggested an ocular implant to Klingon General Martok. Martok was adamant that he did "not want an artificial eye". (DS9: "Soldiers of the Empire")

The Borg use an ocular implant which replaces the left eye in most drones. An eyepiece is mounted on this implant, which also contains various components including an ocular node. (VOY: "Imperfection") The ocular implant is capable of detecting irregularities in space-time. A 24th century Borg ocular implant was even better equipped to see these irregularities than a 26th century Federation sensor. (VOY: "Relativity")

There are numerous cases where one Borg drone's eyepiece was fitted with the normal eye left intact, while in many other cases the eyeball is simply removed to provide direct access to the optic nerve. These differences have existed among drones who are designated for essentially the same role, yet there is no indication as to what makes one approach different or superior to the other.

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 An '''ocular implant''' is a medical device which replaces or enhances the eyesight of an individual.
-In the [[Federation]], ocular implants are used to give eyesight to blind or visually disabled individuals, eliminating the need for a [[VISOR]]. [[Doctor]] [[Katherine Pulaski]] performed several surgeries involving the implants prior to [[2365]], and offered the procedure to [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|USS ''Enterprise''-D]] [[chief engineer]] [[Geordi La Forge]] that year.  He decided not to undergo the surgery at that time, because the [[technology]] was not yet advanced enough to afford the same visual range as a VISOR. ([[TNG]]: "[[Loud as a Whisper]]")
+In the [[Federation]], ocular implants are used to give eyesight to [[blindness|blind]] or visually disabled individuals, eliminating the need for a [[VISOR]]. [[Doctor]] [[Katherine Pulaski]] performed several surgeries involving the implants prior to [[2365]], and offered the procedure to [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)|USS ''Enterprise''-D]] [[chief engineer]] [[Geordi La Forge]] that year.  He decided not to undergo the surgery at that time, because the [[technology]] was not yet advanced enough to afford the same visual range as a VISOR. ([[TNG]]: "[[Loud as a Whisper]]")
 By [[2373]], La Forge decided to receive ocular implants. These implants are similar in appearance to a normal [[humanoid]] [[eye]], but upon closer inspection reveal mechanical detail on the irises and pupils.  They offered similar abilities to the VISOR, including infrared heat detection and telescopic zooming.  (''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'') Occasionally, they gave him headaches as the VISOR once did.  The implants were temporarily removed in [[2375]] when [[metaphasic radiation]] from the rings of the [[Ba'ku]] [[Ba'ku (planet)|homeworld]] caused La Forge's [[optic nerve]]s to regenerate, giving him normal eyesight. (''[[Star Trek: Insurrection]]'')