Patients who suffered vision loss due to a progressive form of blindness called age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were able to regain some of their central vision through the use of an eye implant in combination with advanced smart glasses.
A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine detailed how patients’ vision was improved enough with the implant and glasses to complete crossword puzzles and read regular books. The study included participants aged 60 or older who were previously diagnosed with AMD in both eyes and who possessed visual acuity of at least 1.2 logMAR or worse.
Because AMD cannot be reversed, since the cells in the center of a person’s retina die over time, the researchers focused on restoring some of the lost vision by leveraging a 2-by-2-millimeter device made up of small photovoltaic solar panels. After the tiny device was surgically implanted beneath the retina, the patient used camera-equipped smart glasses to help them see.
The glasses transmitted zoomed-in images to the retina implant using near-infrared light. The implant then delivered small electrical signals into the optic nerve, mirroring the role of healthy cells.
The small study began with 38 patients who received the surgical implant. Of those, 32 remained in the clinical trial for a full 12 months. After one year, 26 of those 32 individuals, or over 80%, gained improved vision. While the patients did not obtain perfect vision, researchers who were not involved in the study called the work “amazing,” according to The New York Times.
The technology used in the study comes from the brain-computer interface company Science Corporation. The company’s founder and CEO, Max Hodak, cofounded Neuralink in 2016 with Elon Musk. Science Corporation acquired the retina technology from Pixium Vision in 2024 after the French medical device company ran out of funding.