subretinal, epiretinal

[wdduncan]

I am working on an ontology for bionic vision implants. Many of the devices have the implant locations specified as subretinal or epiretinal. What would be the UBERON equivalents?

FWIW, here is the complete list of implant locations:

subretinal epiretinal optic nerve cortical suprachoroidal thalamic

[aleixpuigb]

Hi @wdduncan,

After a cursory research I would think that an epiretinal implant is adjacent_to some inner limiting layer of retina. I believe that it would be located_in some vitreous chamber of eyeball (I think located_in is more appropriate than part_of in this case): https://doi.org/10.3390/mi10060419

A subretinal implant is located_in the retina and adjacent_to some outer limiting layer of retina. I am a bit unsure about the inner limit, is this implant only located in the outer nuclear layer of retina, replacing degenerating photoreceptors, or is a bit thicker and comprise also other layers?

If by equivalent you mean what structure do they replace, I don't think epiretinal substitute a structure and subretinal would substitute the outer nuclear layer of retina.

[aleixpuigb]

Hi @wdduncan, is your question resolved?

[wdduncan]

Hey @aleixpuigb The physician in our ontology group hasn't had time to meet yet. Can you leave it open a little while longer? I would like his input.

[aleixpuigb]

Of course!

[wdduncan]

We think the subretinal implant should be adjacent to the outer nuclear layer of retina also.

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[wdduncan]

I would to leave this one open a bit longer. Tagging @DLRathbun for input. He does bionic vision implants.

[dosumis]

@wdduncan - can this now be closed? If I understand discussion correctly, existing terms will be sufficient.

[wdduncan]

Still waiting on input from @DLRathbun. I'll ask him again.

[DLRathbun]

I agree with this characterization: epiretinal implant is adjacent_to some inner limiting layer of retina. I believe that it would be located_in some vitreous chamber of eyeball

I agree with this for subretinal: A subretinal implant is located_in the retina and adjacent_to some outer limiting layer of retina. but I would say that subretinal is also adjacent_to the outer nuclear layer. To implant subretinal devices, the ONL and OLM are mechanically separated.

I agree that it would be inappropriate to characterize either subretinal or epiretinal as physically replacing any eye structure.