Unprecedented Success for a New Visual Implant in Restoring Central Vision for the Blind
In a scientific advancement that is the first of its kind, researchers have developed a wireless retinal implant that allows patients suffering from blindness to regain part of their central vision, enabling them to read, recognize faces, and carry out their daily activities with greater ease.
The study, published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" and referenced by the "Financial Times," focused on treating patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), known as "geographic atrophy," which is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the elderly.
The technique relies on a system consisting of a camera mounted on special glasses, which transmits images to a small wireless retinal implant (2×2 mm), where it converts light into electrical pulses sent directly to the brain.
The trials included 32 patients, and the results showed that 81% of participants achieved a significant visual improvement after using the implant. Additionally, 84% of the patients were able to use the artificial vision within their homes to read numbers and words.
The average improvement in visual acuity was 25 letters on the vision chart, while one patient managed to surpass 59 letters, equivalent to an additional 12 lines compared to their previous condition.
Frank Holz, head of the ophthalmology department at Bonn University Hospital and the lead author of the study, described the innovation as a "qualitative leap in the treatment of late-stage macular degeneration," emphasizing that "this is the first time functional central vision has been restored in patients who lost their sight due to this type of degeneration."
For his part, José-Alain Sahel, head of the ophthalmology department at the University of Pittsburgh, noted that "more than 80% of patients were able to read letters and words, with some starting to read pages from books," adding that "these results have never been recorded in any vision restoration trial."
This technology was developed by the American company "Science Corporation," based on a design by Professor Daniel Palanker from Stanford University. The company has submitted applications for clinical use licensing in the United States and Europe.
Although the final cost of the implant and the accompanying medical procedures has not been announced, the company confirmed its aim to provide the product at a "fair and reasonable" price that allows the largest possible number of patients to benefit.
