Blind people read again after a landmark eye implant trial

Blind people were able to read again, Ireland kept its basic income for artists, and life returned to a liberated US river, plus more good news

Blind people were able to read again, Ireland kept its basic income for artists, and life returned to a liberated US river, plus more good news

In a medical breakthrough that sounds like the stuff of science fiction, blind people have been able to read again thanks to a revolutionary eye implant. The microchip was inserted under the retinas of 38 blind people as part of a landmark global study, the results of which were published this week. All those taking part had untreatable age-related macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness for over-50s and affects some five million people worldwide. For 84% of participants, the device enabled them to see again. “I was an avid bookworm, and I wanted that back,” said Sheila Irvine (main image), who took part in the multi-country trial at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital. “It was dead exciting when I began seeing a letter. It’s not simple, learning to read again, but the more hours I put in, the more I pick up. It’s made a big difference. Reading takes you into another world, I’m definitely more optimistic now.” Designed by US-based Science Corporation, the chip is paired with a set of video recording glasses, which transmit live footage to a pocket computer that converts the footage into an electronic signal. This signal is then beamed to the chip, which sends it through the retinal and optical nerve cells and into the brain, where it is interpreted as vision. “In the history of artificial vision, this represents a new era,” said Mahi Muqit, senior vitreoretinal consultant at Moorfields. “[It has] has never been done before.” Image: Vanessa Bumbeers

In a medical breakthrough that sounds like the stuff of science fiction, blind people have been able to read again thanks to a revolutionary eye implant.

The microchip was inserted under the retinas of 38 blind people as part of a landmark global study, the results of which were published this week. All those taking part had untreatable age-related macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness for over-50s and affects some five million people worldwide. For 84% of participants, the device enabled them to see again.

“I was an avid bookworm, and I wanted that back,” said Sheila Irvine (main image), who took part in the multi-country trial at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital. “It was dead exciting when I began seeing a letter. It’s not simple, learning to read again, but the more hours I put in, the more I pick up. It’s made a big difference. Reading takes you into another world, I’m definitely more optimistic now.”

Designed by US-based Science Corporation, the chip is paired with a set of video recording glasses, which transmit live footage to a pocket computer that converts the footage into an electronic signal. This signal is then beamed to the chip, which sends it through the retinal and optical nerve cells and into the brain, where it is interpreted as vision.

“In the history of artificial vision, this represents a new era,” said Mahi Muqit, senior vitreoretinal consultant at Moorfields. “[It has] has never been done before.”

Fiji has become the latest nation to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced this week. Trachoma, the world’s leading cause off infectious blindness, is spread via contaminated fingers or flies that have come into contact with the eyes of an infected person. Fiji’s success in defeating the disease follows improvements in water sanitation, increased monitoring and community awareness programmes. “Future generations of Fijians have been given a precious gift in being set free from the suffering that trachoma has inflicted on their ancestors,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the WHO. Image: M M

Fiji has become the latest nation to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced this week.

Trachoma, the world’s leading cause off infectious blindness, is spread via contaminated fingers or flies that have come into contact with the eyes of an infected person. Fiji’s success in defeating the disease follows improvements in water sanitation, increased monitoring and community awareness programmes.

“Future generations of Fijians have been given a precious gift in being set free from the suffering that trachoma has inflicted on their ancestors,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the WHO.