Neuralink Rival Says Eye Implants Restored Vision
Science Corporation has announced promising early results from a clinical trial of its Prima implant, a new device for restoring vision in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which damages central vision. The implant, a 2-mm square chip placed under the retina, receives visual information from camera-equipped glasses that beam infrared light onto the chip. This light is converted to electrical pulses, stimulating the brain to create images. Unlike earlier retinal implants, Prima allows patients to recognize shapes and patterns, though in monochromatic, yellow-tinted images.
The initial trial, involving 32 patients who remained for a full year, showed improvements in visual acuity, with patients reading five more lines on an eye chart on average, bringing their vision to approximately 20/160. Some achieved even better clarity (20/63) using the device’s zoom feature. Though early data is promising, experts note it remains unclear how frequently patients needed zoom and how practical the device will be for daily life. With AMD affecting millions globally, this innovation represents a hopeful advance in retinal prosthetics.