Eye implant helps restore vision in AMD patients

Studies show that eye implants paired with smart glasses have helped several dozen older adults with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) regain some central vision.

AMD cannot be reversed, but researchers reported results in The New England Journal of Medicine, showing that patients who received the implant could read regular books and even complete crossword puzzles using the device.

The vision was made possible by doctors surgically placing a tiny 2-by-2-millimeter photovoltaic solar panel implant under the retina.

Camera-equipped smart glasses sent zoomed-in images to the implant using near-infrared light.

The implant then generated electrical signals that mimicked those of damaged retinal cells, sending visual information to the optic nerve.

The trial began with 38 patients, and 32 of them completed one year of testing. Of those, 26 showed improvement, delivering an 80% success rate.

The restored vision remains blurry and black-and-white, but experts called the progress amazing.