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phosphene

American  
[fos-feen] / ˈfɒs fin /

noun

Physiology.
  1. a luminous image produced by mechanical stimulation of the retina, as by pressure applied to the eyeball by the finger when the lid is closed.


phosphene British  
/ ˈfɒsfiːn /

noun

  1. the sensation of light caused by pressure on the eyelid of a closed eye or by other mechanical or electrical interference with the visual system

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of phosphene

1870–75; < French phosphène, irregular < Greek phôs light (contraction of pháos ) + phaínein to show, shine

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A typical prosthesis consists of an array of fine electrodes, each of which is designed to trigger a phosphene.

From Science Daily

"Phosphenes are likely to be distributed unevenly in an individual's visual field, and differences in the surface of the brain also affect how surgeons place implants, which together result in a phosphene map unique to each patient," Associate Professor Wong said.

From Science Daily

Published in the Journal of Neural Engineering, 'A novel simulation paradigm utilising MRI-derived phosphene maps for cortical prosthetic vision' presents a more realistic simulation for cortical prosthetic vision.

From Science Daily

Sighted participants recruited for the study were asked to test and verify the phosphene maps based on visual acuity and object recognition.

From Science Daily

Potential implant locations would then be identified, and the simulation developed in the Monash research would be used to plot phosphene maps.

From Science Daily