Results of a clinical trial testing a new wireless retinal implant were recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The PRIMA system was created by Daniel Palanker, Ph.D, professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University. This wireless device changes light into electrical signals that stimulate retinal cells. Specialized glasses that are equipped with a built-in camera record the images and sends them to the retinal implant via invisible near-infrared light. This light is then changed into electrical pulses by the retinal device, which helps restore the transmission of visual information to the brain. Patients are able to adjust zoom and contrast to improve visual clarity.
Researchers enrolled 38 participants in the PRIMAvera trial across Europe who were aged 60 and older and had a diagnosis of geographic atrophy (GA). Thirty-two participants completed the trial and after the one-year follow up, 81% reported noticeable improvements in their visual acuity. 84% of the participants said they were using the device at home to assist them in reading words and numbers. Patients with the implant gained an average of 25 letters on an eye chart which equals about five lines with the overall improvement of 81% of participants being at least 10 letters.
Science Corp, manufacturer of the PRIMA system, has submitted applications for clinical use in the United States and Europe.
