WIRELESS IMPLANT IMPROVES VISION IN PATIENT WITH GEOGRAPHIC ATROPHY FROM MACULAR DEGENERATION

By Dr. Kevin -

 A new wireless retinal implant called PRIMA may restore central vision in people with geographic atrophy (GA) from advanced AMD, according to a New England Journal of Medicine study.



The PRIMA system uses a tiny 2x2mm chip placed under the retina where photoreceptors have died. A camera on special glasses captures images and projects them onto the implant with infrared light, which the chip converts into electrical signals to stimulate retinal cells—essentially replacing lost photoreceptors.

In the PRIMAvera clinical trial of 38 GA patients, 81% of participants showed significant vision improvement (≥0.2 logMAR) after 12 months, with many able to read and write again. Side effects, mostly from surgery, were temporary and similar to those seen with standard retinal procedures.

The implant currently provides black-and-white vision, but updates may allow grayscale or facial recognition in the future. Its wireless design makes it safer and easier to upgrade or combine multiple implants to cover larger retinal areas.

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