PRIMA System device used in this operation is being developed by Science Corporation (science.xyz). In a landmark clinical trial, patients ...
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| PRIMA System device used in this operation is being developed by Science Corporation (science.xyz). |
A groundbreaking retinal implant called PRIMA has enabled blind patients with dry AMD to read again. The chip, powered by light and paired with AR glasses, sends visual data directly to the brain.
The trial involved 38 participants across 17 hospital sites in five countries, all of whom had lost central vision in one eye due to geographic atrophy—a severe form of dry AMD. The newly developed device, known as the PRIMA System, measures just 2 mm × 2 mm and is thinner than a human hair. (Moorfields Eye Hospital) After having the implant surgically placed beneath their retina, and after a period of rehabilitation, 84 % of participants achieved reading vision—what professional ophthalmologists describe as a “paradigm shift.”
How the Technology Works
The system is a unique blend of hardware and software. First, patients wear specialized augmented-reality (AR) glasses equipped with a tiny camera. The camera captures visual scenes and sends that input to a portable processor where AI algorithms enhance contrast, zoom on text, and extract letters or shapes. Then the processed visual data is converted into an infrared beam projected onto the implanted chip beneath the retina. That chip acts like the missing photoreceptors, generating electrical signals that travel through the optic nerve to the brain.
People who had lost their sight have regained the ability to read after receiving an innovative electronic eye implant paired with augmented-reality glasses.
This architecture uses what is known as a “wireless photovoltaic sub-retinal prosthesis” — no cables protrude through the sclera, reducing infection risk and easing surgical implementation. For decades, central vision loss from dry AMD has been considered irreversible. This trial suggests for the first time that meaningful central vision can be restored—with reading capability and everyday functionality. For the millions of people worldwide affected by geographic atrophy, this breakthrough offers real hope.
Rehabilitation
While the implant is highly advanced, real-world use still requires months of rehabilitation. Patients learn how to interpret the new visual ‘language’ the chip projects—scanning, zooming, aligning head and eye movements with the system. Some trial participants now read books, complete crosswords, and identify packaging labels—tasks many thought impossible just years ago.
Several hurdles remain. The resolution is still below natural vision and color perception is limited. Face recognition and peripheral visual awareness are weaker than natural sight. Scaling production, reducing cost, and obtaining widespread regulatory approval (in both the U.S. and Europe) are next steps. The company behind the implant is pursuing full commercialization.
The PRIMA System device used in this operation is being developed by Science Corporation (science.xyz), which is a leader in brain-computer interfaces and neural engineering.
This achievement underlines the rapidly blurring line between machine and human. It shows how AI, AR, and implantable electronics can not only assist human function—but restore lost senses. Beyond AMD, similar tech could eventually help treat other causes of blindness such as retinitis pigmentosa or optic nerve damage. It resonates into fields of robotics, neuroscience, AI-driven healthcare, and sensory augmentation.
Key upcoming areas include: regulatory approval and reimbursement models, whether health systems will cover the cost of the implant plus AR hardware, long-term durability and user outcomes over years rather than months, and how smaller, cheaper, “glasses-free” versions might emerge. Also worth monitoring: competition from other implant makers and how AI image-processing algorithms evolve to improve facial recognition and color vision for users.
The PRIMA System eye-implant marks one of the most significant milestones in artificial vision and rehabilitative medicine to date. It demonstrates that human senses lost to degenerative disease can be partly restored by combining implantable hardware, AI signal processing, and wearable interfaces. While not yet a cure in every case, for many patients it means life regained—the ability to read again, to engage with the world visually, and to reclaim autonomy.
