New Breakthrough Allows Legally Blind Patients to Read Again with Tiny Implant and Special Glasses
In a groundbreaking study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, scientists have made a remarkable discovery that's giving hope to millions of people worldwide living with geographic atrophy, an advanced form of dry macular degeneration. A tiny implant thinner than human hair has been implanted into the back of the eyes of 32 patients with this condition, resulting in "meaningful improvement" in visual acuity for 26 out of 32 participants after just 12 months.
The innovative treatment involves inserting a miniature device called PRIMA (photovoltaic retina implant microarray) under the retina and wearing special glasses equipped with a video camera that projects near-infrared light to enhance vision. The treatment has been shown to restore visual acuity in patients who have lost their central vision due to geographic atrophy.
One patient, 70-year-old Sheila Irvine, described her experience with PRIMA as "out of this world," saying it's "beautiful and wonderful" to be able to read and do crosswords again. However, she noted that the treatment requires a lot of concentration and can only focus on specific letters at a time.
Geographic atrophy is the leading cause of blindness in older adults, affecting approximately 5 million people worldwide. Until now, there was no treatment available to improve patients' ability to read or recognize faces. The FDA-approved medication Syfovre, which slows down disease progression but does not reverse it, has been a significant breakthrough in recent years.
The PRIMA implant is made by California-based biotech company Science Corporation and is not yet licensed for widespread use. While the clinical study's results are promising, the CEO of Science Corporation emphasized that this technology still holds great promise for revolutionizing vision restoration for patients with geographic atrophy.
While more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of PRIMA, this breakthrough offers a glimmer of hope for millions of people living with this debilitating condition.
In a groundbreaking study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, scientists have made a remarkable discovery that's giving hope to millions of people worldwide living with geographic atrophy, an advanced form of dry macular degeneration. A tiny implant thinner than human hair has been implanted into the back of the eyes of 32 patients with this condition, resulting in "meaningful improvement" in visual acuity for 26 out of 32 participants after just 12 months.
The innovative treatment involves inserting a miniature device called PRIMA (photovoltaic retina implant microarray) under the retina and wearing special glasses equipped with a video camera that projects near-infrared light to enhance vision. The treatment has been shown to restore visual acuity in patients who have lost their central vision due to geographic atrophy.
One patient, 70-year-old Sheila Irvine, described her experience with PRIMA as "out of this world," saying it's "beautiful and wonderful" to be able to read and do crosswords again. However, she noted that the treatment requires a lot of concentration and can only focus on specific letters at a time.
Geographic atrophy is the leading cause of blindness in older adults, affecting approximately 5 million people worldwide. Until now, there was no treatment available to improve patients' ability to read or recognize faces. The FDA-approved medication Syfovre, which slows down disease progression but does not reverse it, has been a significant breakthrough in recent years.
The PRIMA implant is made by California-based biotech company Science Corporation and is not yet licensed for widespread use. While the clinical study's results are promising, the CEO of Science Corporation emphasized that this technology still holds great promise for revolutionizing vision restoration for patients with geographic atrophy.
While more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of PRIMA, this breakthrough offers a glimmer of hope for millions of people living with this debilitating condition.
I'm so hyped about this new breakthrough! 
It's like, finally some hope for people who are going blind due to that dry macular degeneration thingy 
. I mean, can you imagine being able to read your fave books or do crosswords again? 
It's a total game changer! 
The tiny implant and special glasses combo is genius 
. I just wish it was more accessible to everyone who needs it ASAP 
. Like, why isn't this tech licensed for widespread use yet? 
More research, you say? Yeah, let's get on that, stat! 
I'm rooting for these patients and the Science Corporation team 
#NewBreakthrough #BlindnessIsNotTheEnd #VisionRestoration #FutureIsNow
i mean can u imagine reading again or doing crosswords without that frustration of not being able to see? 
prima looks like the answer to many prayers for ppl living with geographic atrophy 
... This innovation is like a beacon of light in the darkest corners of blindness, giving people back their independence and self-worth 
that's insane! I'm thinking about my grandma who's been dealing with geographic atrophy, she'd be so happy to know there's hope for her too. 
it's like science has given us a superpower to regain our independence and read, write, and live life on our own terms 