Financial Times: Scientists Invent Implant that Partially Restores Vision to the Blind
American scientists have developed an eye implant that helps blind individuals partially regain vision needed for reading and performing daily tasks, according to the Financial Times.
“This research confirms that, for the first time, we can restore functional central vision in patients who have gone blind due to geographic atrophy. The implant represents a paradigm shift in the treatment of late-stage age-related macular degeneration,” said Frank Holz, head of the ophthalmology department at the University Hospital of Bonn, who led the study.
The new technology includes a camera attached to special glasses worn by the patient. The camera captures images and transmits them wirelessly to a 2x2 mm retinal implant. This implant converts light into electrical signals, which are then sent to the brain. The study showed that the device was effective for 81% of patients with age-related macular degeneration.
The research was funded by the American company Science Corporation, which plans to manufacture the implant based on a design by Stanford University ophthalmology professor Daniel Palanker. The company has applied for clinical approval in both the U.S. and Europe.
