Tiny Implant Offers Hope For Legally Blind Patients
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Over five million people worldwide suffer from vision loss due to dry, age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. This eye disease slowly destroys the light-sensitive cells in the center of the retina, called the macula. People with AMD can often still see on the sides, but they lose central vision. This makes it hard to read, recognize faces, or see small details. The PRIMA system, developed by Professor Daniel Palanker and his team at Stanford University, hopes to help restore some of that lost vision.
The PRIMA system comprises a tiny chip and a pair of special glasses with a built-in camera. The chip is implanted under the retina. The camera captures images and sends them as light signals to the chip, which converts them into messages the brain can understand. This effectively replaces the damaged cells and lets the wearer see again.
In late 2024, the researchers enlisted 38 people with severe AMD for a year-long study to test PRIMA. The participants were mostly older adults, with an average age of 79. Only 32 completed the full year. By the end of the study, 27 of those were able to read letters, numbers, or words. This was remarkable given that the participants had little or no central vision before the implant.
The study’s results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in late October 2025. While encouraging, the device still has limits. Right now, it provides only black-and-white vision. The research team is working to add shades of gray and improve image resolution. These changes could help patients recognize faces and see smaller details more clearly. PRIMA is still a few years away from wide use. But it offers real hope for people living with advanced AMD.
Resources: science.xyz.com, med.stanford.edu, ZMEscience.com
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49 Comments
mrsusabout 14 hoursThis affects me in a big way because I have glasses so I have nothing to worry about :)
starrylemonn3 daysthis is a cool thing to do for the blind!
malcol3 daysNice- mewybybylome4 daysJames says: "I wonder how closely they have to look for problems in the chip." Grandma says: "I think the things that technology and medicine can do are phenomenal. When I was young (many years ago) such thing were unthinkable. Advance in technology are astounding and so fast."
noralyn4 daysCool but I hope my gramma does not need those
mexican_crazy234 daysNice- kunufiwi-1757339383385 daysAwesome
- kunufiwi-1757339383385 daysYay, this is so great
dylaresozubi7 dayssoooooooo coolllllll
sycukykakeli8 daysGod bless the blind.
