'Bionic eye' trials of retinal implants give hope to blind patients to regain sight
Last updated 06/03/2009 09:41:24
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Trials of retinal implants - dubbed the 'bionic eye' - at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, are giving new hope to people who have no sight.
During the past year, surgeons at Moorfields carried out three successful operations to implant an artificial electronic retinal device into the eyes of three blind patients as part of an international phase I clinical study.
It's devised to work in the following way - the device consists of a tiny camera and transmitter mounted in sunglasses. A picture is captured with a camera and this signal is transmitted to a device implanted in the eye.
The device stimulates the remaining nerves by way of an electrode panel in the eye. The signal is then passed up the optic nerve to the brain, which perceives patterns of light and dark spots corresponding to the electrodes stimulated.
This was the first time that such devices have been implanted in the UK and the trials have produced positive early results. "We are very encouraged by the trial's progress so far," says consultant retinal surgeon Lyndon da Cruz, who performed the implant operations on the Moorfields patients.
"The implants have been stable and functioning for six months, with consistent visual perceptions generated by the device. The trial remains inspiring in terms of presenting a very real and tangible step forward in treating patients with total vision loss.
"But with more than two years of the trial left to run, these are early days and continued testing will be crucial in determining the success of the new technology."
Extensive testing continues on all three current patients as the implant and video camera link are tuned to try and optimise retinal stimulation.
Moorfields is also recruiting new patients to the trial to provide additional data and further demonstrate clinically meaningful performance. To be eligible for the trial, patients must have already been referred to Moorfields with a diagnosis of severe retinitis pigmentosa an inherited degeneration of the retina.
For more information go to http://www.moorfields.nhs.uk