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A groundbreaking clinical trial in Australia is allowing blind people to have functional vision again, demonstrating significant vision improvements for people implanted with a second-generation bionic eye.
The study, led by the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), the Bionics Institute, the University of Melbourne, and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, involved four participants suffering from retinitis pigmentosa.
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a rare, inherited eye disease that causes progressive vision loss due to the degeneration of photoreceptor cells in the retina—the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, the National Eye Institute explained. As the condition progresses, it may lead to tunnel vision and decreased central vision and color perception.
To help with vision impairment caused by RP, the bionic eye system uses an electrode array surgically implanted behind the retina, which receives signals from a video camera mounted on glasses. These signals stimulate retinal cells, enabling patients to perceive flashes of light known as phosphenes, aiding in detecting edges, shapes, and movement.
Over a follow-up period of almost three years, the device, designed by Bionics Institute and the Centre for Eye Research Australia, exhibited stability, with 97% of electrodes remaining functional.
Participants reported enhanced navigation abilities, increased confidence in exploring new environments, and a reduced need for assistance in daily activities.
“The bionic eye enabled blind patients to locate doorways, avoid obstacles, and find items on table-tops,’’ explained Associate Professor Penny Allen, principal investigator and vitreoretinal surgeon.
“Patients were also able to locate their spouse in a café and detect people moving at a train station--things they could not do without using their bionic eye.’’
The promising results pave the way for further advancements in bionic eye technology, offering hope to millions worldwide affected by retinal diseases.
Retinitis pigmentosa affects 1 in 3,000-4,000 individuals in the world. In the U.S., about 82,000 to 110,000 people suffer from this rare retinal degenerative disease.
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