Revolutionary Eye Implant Can Restore Partial Vision For Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients

Revolutionary Eye Implant Can Restore Partial Vision For Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients

Technological breakthroughs may have given the opportunity for patients who lost their sight to regain partial vision.

The FDA approved the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis this Thursday, a device that can bring some degree of sight back to patients who have lost it because of a disorder that causes cells to break down in the retina.

The device was approved in Europe in late 2011 and while available to a reduced number of patients can bring back sight to a huge number of people in the future.

A camera mounted on a pair of glasses transmits images to electrodes that are implanted in the retina, giving patients some degree of vision back.

The FDA mentioned that the device can’t restore full vision but can help patients detect light and darkness, a small but considerable gain that can help them greatly improve their quality of life.

Retinitis pigmentosa is a disease that causes people to slowly lose vision as cells inside the retina break down leading in time to blindness. The FDA approved the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis for patients over the age of 25 who suffer from the above mentioned condition.

With over 100,000 patients suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, the device is a fantastic breakthrough a hope for a better life for a huge number of people.

Posted by George Daniels on Monday February 18 2013, 4:37 AM EST. Ref: Bloomberg. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0