A tiny prosthetic retinal implant invented by Stanford scientist Daniel Palanker has helped blind European patients regain enough vision to read, recognize faces, and paint.
EYE IMPLANT BREAKTHROUGH
A prosthetic retinal implant the size of a pencil point has helped dozens of blind adults in Europe regain vision, allowing them to paint, recognize faces, and read again, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The device, called PRIMA, was invented by Stanford ophthalmologist Daniel Palanker and is now made by Alameda-based Science Corp. It targets age-related macular degeneration, which affects roughly a million Americans.
The device uses a solar-panel-covered disc implanted behind the retina, paired with special glasses that beam near-infrared images onto it, converting light into signals the brain can interpret as vision. In a recent European trial of 32 patients published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 27 regained the ability to read, with average vision improving by five lines on an eye chart.
Science Corp. hopes for European regulatory approval this summer and is now pursuing FDA approval in the US, including a possible humanitarian device exemption. Palanker is also adapting the technology for other conditions, including Stargardt disease, and developing a next-generation version with up to five times better resolution.
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