- Science Corporation's PRIMA chip is implanted about 2mm in size behind the eye. According to the source, the patient wears glasses with a camera, and the chip receives the video sent by the glasses and works like an artificial photoreceptor.
- Stargardt disease is a hereditary condition in which the light-sensing cells of the eye slowly die, narrowing central vision. The source reports that there is currently no cure and that about 150,000 people worldwide have lost their sight from this disease.
- According to the company, the first Stargardt disease patient received the implant in May in a clinical trial at Sydney Eye Hospital in Australia. In the first round of rehabilitation training the patient read one letter, and in the second round one word.
- CEO Max Hodak said the current device is black and white but gives a sharp, small field of view. Widening the field of view and making the electrodes smaller are the next challenges, and the company expects the next-generation device to be applied in humans within 1 years.
O: If a family member of a patient whose central vision is declining due to Stargardt disease is looking into treatment options, it may be worth checking the status of the clinical trial in Sydney, Australia with the medical team.
X: The original article describes one patient's case and the company's outlook, and states that reading letters and words has been achieved but wide field of view and color perception are not yet, so the scope of the effect should be viewed carefully.