An electronic eye implant has restored central reading vision in patients with sight loss, according to a study.
The retinal implant device PRIMA, developed by neural engineering firm Science Corporation, has been trialled by researchers at University College London (UCL) and Moorfields Eye Hospital.
During the clinical trials, conducted in 17 hospital sites across five countries, 38 patients were implanted with the device.
All these patients had lost the central sight of the eye being tested, leaving only limited peripheral vision. This was due to an untreatable progressive eye condition called geographic atrophy with dry age-related macular degeneration.
The results showed 84% of participants implanted with the PRIMA device were able to read letters, numbers and words following the trial.
They could also read, on average, five lines of a vision chart; some participants could not even see the chart before their surgery.
Mr Mahi Muqit, associate professor in the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology...