Scientists have developed an innovative eye implant aimed at partially restoring vision in blind patients, specifically to bring back central vision. This aspect of sight is crucial for reading and other daily activities.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, indicates that the device significantly improved vision in 81 percent of the study participants who suffered from a form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), specifically geographic atrophy. Geographic atrophy is considered a leading cause of irreversible blindness in older adults.
Frank Holz, the chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University Hospital of Bonn and the lead author of the paper, noted that the study confirms that for the first time in history, it is possible to restore functional central vision in patients blinded by geographic atrophy.
AMD is caused by damage to the retina, which perceives light and converts it into signals for the brain. The new technology involves a camera mounted on special glasses that captures images and projects them onto a 2mm x 2mm, wireless retinal implant. The implant then converts the light into electrical impulses, which it sends to the brain.
The study results are impressive: 84 percent of the 32 AMD patients reported successfully using the technology at home and were able to read numbers and words.
José-Alain Sahel, the head of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the senior author of the study, noted that this is the first time a vision restoration attempt has achieved such results in a large number of patients.
The device was developed based on a design by Daniel Palanker, a professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University, and is funded by the American company Science Corporation. The company has already applied for clinical use authorization from US and European regulatory bodies.
