The procedure involves the insertion of a microchip underneath the retina in order to restore aspects of their central vision in people who are suffering from Geographic Atrophy (GA) – an age-related condition that arises as a result of the degeneration of cells in the macula of the eye.
The technology uses a 2mm photovoltaic chip that receives visual information from a video camera attached to glasses via infrared light. The image is then processed and enhanced before it is transmitted into the brain through artificial signals along the optic nerve. The patients who receive this treatment must then learn how to decode the signal in a process that can take several months.
Sheila Irvine, one of the participants of this trial, who had previously lived with severe sight loss for over three decades reported being able to complete eye charts with out any error. “I can read my post, books, crosswords, Sudoku. I am one happy bunny.”, she says.
Of the 32 patients that took part in the trial in Europe, 27 regained the ability to read, with an average improvement of 5 lines on a standard eye chart after 1 year of receiving the treatment.
Of the 32 patients that took part in the trial in Europe, 27 regained the ability to read, with an average improvement of 5 lines on a standard eye chart after 1 year of receiving the treatment. The results, which have already been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, show immense promise to the 250, 000 people in the UK and 5 million people around the world, that suffer from GA.
While the Prima implant is still unlicensed, Mahi Mukit, the consultant ophthalmologic surgeon in charge of conducting the trial in the UK, is hopeful that NHS patients would be able to access the treatment “within a few years”. Researchers are also currently exploring the possibility of this technology aiding other retinal diseases providing hope for patients who had previously had no treatment for their condition and presenting a glimpse into the future of sight restoration.