London : A groundbreaking eye implant is offering new hope to patients with advanced vision loss, allowing some to read again after years of blindness. The procedure, trialed at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, involves placing a tiny microchip behind the retina and has shown remarkable results in restoring central vision.

Among the first to benefit is Sheila Irvine, a 70-year-old woman from Wiltshire who has lived with severe vision impairment for more than three decades. “It’s beautiful, wonderful. It gives me such pleasure,” she told the BBC, describing the joy of being able to read and complete crosswords again.

The implant targets geographic atrophy, a severe form of dry age-related macular degeneration that affects over 250,000 people in the UK and millions globally. The condition causes gradual damage to retinal cells, leading to blurred central vision and loss of detail and color.

The new technology, developed by California-based Science Corporation, uses a 2mm-square photovoltaic chip, thinner than a human hair, inserted beneath the retina. Patients wear glasses equipped with a video camera that sends infrared images to the chip. These images are processed and transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve, allowing users to regain partial sight.

Patients undergo extensive training to interpret the visual signals. Consultant ophthalmic surgeon Mahi Muqit, who led the UK arm of the international trial, called the technology “pioneering and life-changing.” He said it was the first time an implant had provided functional vision for everyday tasks like reading and writing.

The trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, involved 38 participants across five European countries. Of the 32 who received the Prima implant, 27 regained the ability to read using their central vision. On average, patients improved by five lines on an eye chart after one year.

Sheila’s progress has been especially inspiring. Before the implant, she was unable to read at all. During a demonstration at Moorfields, she read an eye chart without a single mistake, celebrating with a cheer and a fist pump. “I am one happy bunny,” she said.

Sheila uses a white cane to navigate due to her blurred peripheral vision and does not wear the device outdoors, preferring to use it at home where she can concentrate. She explained that the device requires her to hold her head very still and sometimes switch to magnification mode to distinguish similar letters.

Despite the challenges, Sheila is thrilled with the results. “I am able to read my post, books, and do crosswords and Sudoku,” she said. “Technology is moving so fast, it’s amazing that I am part of it.”

The Prima implant is still in clinical trials and not yet licensed for general use. Its future availability and cost remain uncertain, but Muqit hopes it could be offered to NHS patients within a few years.

Dr Peter Bloomfield of the Macular Society described the findings as “fantastic news” for those with no current treatment options. He said artificial vision could bring renewed hope, especially after past disappointments in treating dry AMD.

However, experts caution that the implant is not suitable for individuals whose optic nerve is damaged, as the technology relies on transmitting signals from the retina to the brain.

As trials continue, the medical community is watching closely to see whether this innovation could be expanded to help patients with other forms of vision loss.