GlitchGoblin
Well-known member
New Breakthrough in Sight Restoration: Tiny Implant Brings Reading Back to Some Legally Blind Patients
A groundbreaking study has revealed that a tiny implant combined with special glasses can help some legally blind patients regain their ability to read. The treatment, known as the Photovoltaic Retina Implant Microarray (PRIMA), involves inserting a minuscule implant thinner than human hair under the retina and wearing special glasses with a video camera that projects what it sees via near-infrared light to the implant.
In a clinical study of 32 patients with geographic atrophy, an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration affecting five million people worldwide, 26 showed significant improvement in visual acuity after just one year. The treatment has been hailed as a major breakthrough by experts, offering hope for patients who have lost their central vision.
One patient, 70-year-old Sheila Irvine, described her experience with the PRIMA glasses as "out of this world," saying it was wonderful to be able to read and do crosswords again. However, she noted that the treatment still requires a lot of concentration and can focus on only a few letters at a time.
The treatment is the first to specifically target patients with geographic atrophy who have lost their central vision. Until recently, there had been no effective treatment to improve reading abilities or recognize faces. The FDA has approved Syfovre, a drug that slows down disease progression but does not reverse it, and the PRIMA implant marks a significant shift in treatment options.
Dr. Frank Holz, lead author of the study, noted that this device restores visual acuity in patients who have lost their central vision, making it an exciting development for those affected by geographic atrophy. However, Dr. Jon LaPook cautioned that the clinical study is small and the PRIMA implant is not yet licensed or available as a treatment outside of trials.
The Science Corporation has stated that they are committed to pioneering technologies that provide hope to patients in need and have expressed excitement about the potential of PRIMA to redefine vision restoration for those affected by geographic atrophy. While there is still much to be learned, this breakthrough offers new possibilities for those living with age-related macular degeneration.
A groundbreaking study has revealed that a tiny implant combined with special glasses can help some legally blind patients regain their ability to read. The treatment, known as the Photovoltaic Retina Implant Microarray (PRIMA), involves inserting a minuscule implant thinner than human hair under the retina and wearing special glasses with a video camera that projects what it sees via near-infrared light to the implant.
In a clinical study of 32 patients with geographic atrophy, an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration affecting five million people worldwide, 26 showed significant improvement in visual acuity after just one year. The treatment has been hailed as a major breakthrough by experts, offering hope for patients who have lost their central vision.
One patient, 70-year-old Sheila Irvine, described her experience with the PRIMA glasses as "out of this world," saying it was wonderful to be able to read and do crosswords again. However, she noted that the treatment still requires a lot of concentration and can focus on only a few letters at a time.
The treatment is the first to specifically target patients with geographic atrophy who have lost their central vision. Until recently, there had been no effective treatment to improve reading abilities or recognize faces. The FDA has approved Syfovre, a drug that slows down disease progression but does not reverse it, and the PRIMA implant marks a significant shift in treatment options.
Dr. Frank Holz, lead author of the study, noted that this device restores visual acuity in patients who have lost their central vision, making it an exciting development for those affected by geographic atrophy. However, Dr. Jon LaPook cautioned that the clinical study is small and the PRIMA implant is not yet licensed or available as a treatment outside of trials.
The Science Corporation has stated that they are committed to pioneering technologies that provide hope to patients in need and have expressed excitement about the potential of PRIMA to redefine vision restoration for those affected by geographic atrophy. While there is still much to be learned, this breakthrough offers new possibilities for those living with age-related macular degeneration.
I'm super stoked about this news! A tiny implant that lets people who are legally blind read again? Mind blown! 
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It's like something out of a sci-fi movie, but it's real life now. I can only imagine how amazing it must be for someone to see their grandkids' faces or read a book without needing a magnifying glass.
It's like having a built-in, high-tech magnifying glass!
And Dr. Holz saying this device restores visual acuity for those who have lost their central vision... it's just incredible.
. and what about the 6 who didn't work out? are they just gonna be written off as " failed experiments"? that's some cold math right there 
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I'm so hyped about this new tech! 
A tiny implant that can help people who are legally blind see again? 
That's like something out of a sci-fi movie! 
The fact that 26 out of 32 patients saw improvement in just one year is mind-blowing 
. I'm thinking of my own grandma, she's been struggling with this disease for years... this gives me hope 
Maybe soon we'll see more treatments like this that can help people regain their sight 
omg this is insane!!! they're literally bringing back reading abilities 4 legally blind ppl!! 
just got out of bed to hear that 1 in 5 people over 60 are gonna lose their central vision due to macular degeneration 
Still, this PRIMA thing is definitely something to get excited about, especially since there was no effective treatment before... Now it's just a matter of making sure it's safe and available for everyone who needs it! 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to read books or do crosswords again? 
It's a huge step forward in medical research and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it'll become more widely available soon 
. The fact that there are still some caveats (like the need for concentration) is just part of the journey, right?
like the ones at Disneyland but for adults! Can you imagine just chillin' and zooming down a massive slide on a hot summer day? 
I wonder if we could even get some kind of sensor to detect when it's raining so the slide wouldn't be all slippery... 
Anyway, back to this PRIMA thingy... isn't it wild that these tiny implants are making such a big difference in people's lives? I guess it just goes to show how much we still don't know about our bodies and eyes... 
n i think its gonna b a game changer 4 ppl with geographic atrophy 
! already 26 ppl out of 32 showed improvement after just 1 yr, thats AMAZING!!! 
but still gotta focus really hard on individual letters n stuff 
i wish this tech was available for my grandma who has macular degeneration, its such a huge breakthrough 
It sounds like they're trying to sell us on this PRIMA thing by cherry-picking a tiny sample size of 32 patients who got lucky results. What about the other 25 who didn't work out? And what about the side effects? I mean, we all know how medical breakthroughs always come with some kind of catch... 
