EU approves “Hi-Tech” eye implant to restore vision in age-related macular degeneration

Europe: The European Union has approved a breakthrough eye implant that can restore central vision for people with age-related macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of vision loss in adults over 50.

The device, called PRIMA, was developed by US-based Science Corporation. It uses hundreds of tiny pixels implanted in the retina. The pixels are activated by light signals from a special pair of glasses, which also include a zoom feature to magnify small text.

AMD damages the central part of the retina, causing blurry or missing vision that makes reading, driving, and recognizing faces difficult.

In clinical trials, PRIMA improved vision for 80% of patients. With the new CE (Conformité Européenne) certification under EU medical device regulations, the implant can now potentially be offered in 30 European countries.

Mahi Muqit, a vitreoretinal consultant at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital, which led the UK arm of the trial, said:
“Blind patients are actually able to have meaningful central vision restoration, which has never been done before.”

Researchers say the approval marks a major step toward giving people with advanced AMD a way to regain independence in daily life.