Science Corporation implants its vision-restoring chip in its first Stargardt disease patient
Science Corporation has implanted its PRIMA vision-restoring chip in its first patient with Stargardt disease, an inherited condition that gradually destroys central vision. The procedure is part of a trial in Australia and could show whether retinal implants can help people with a disease currently considered incurable.
The patient received the implant in May at Sydney Eye Hospital and could identify a letter during the first rehabilitation session, then read a word in the second. The 2 mm by 2 mm chip sits at the back of the eye where light-sensing cells have died; camera-equipped glasses send images to it. It provides sharp, high-contrast black-and-white vision over a small central area, while the company works on larger implants and finer detail. About 150,000 people worldwide have lost vision due to Stargardt disease.
- Science Corporation implanted its PRIMA chip in its first Stargardt patient.
- The patient identified a letter, then read a word during rehabilitation.
- The implant offers limited black-and-white vision through a small central area.
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Stargardt disease is an inherited condition that damages the light-sensing cells at the centre of the retina, the layer at the back of the eye. As it progresses, people lose central vision, which they use for tasks such as reading and recognising faces, though other parts of their vision may remain.
Science Corporation is developing PRIMA, a small electronic implant designed to replace some of the lost light-sensing function. It works with camera-equipped glasses that send images to the implant, which produces a limited area of black-and-white vision. The approach is being studied because Stargardt disease has no established cure, and the trial may help show whether an implant can restore useful vision for people affected by it.
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