Chris James and Robin Millar of the United Kingdom both lost their vision after birth because of a genetic condition known as retinitis pigmentosa, in which light-sensitive cells in the eye stop working. Now, surgeons have partially restored vision to both men with tiny electronic chips that promise to help the blind see the same way cochlear implants have helped the deaf hear. Teams of doctors at the Oxford Eye Hospital and King’s College Hospital in London embedded the small square chips—0.12 by 0.12 inches—in a thin sheet of tissue at the backs of the men’s eyes. As soon as they were switched on, the chips began performing the duties of defunct photoreceptors—also called rods and cones—converting light into electrical impulses that travel to the brain. A thin cable threaded beneath the skin connects the chip to a battery pack, which also sits under the skin near the ear.
Chris James told the BBC that “there was a ‘magic moment’ when the implant was switched on for the first time and he saw flashing lights.” James and Millar must now learn to interpret the patchwork of bright and dark spots they see in order to recognize people and objects in the world around them. So far, James says he distinguish the outlines of nearby objects.
This remarkable technology is in its infancy. It is only going to improve with time. To read more, click here.