Second Sight Touts Positive Retinal Implant Study Data

Second Sight Medical Products reports positive, three-year post-implant study results of its Argus II retinal prosthesis system for blind patients.

The multicenter trial demonstrated that up to 89 percent of patients implanted with the system performed tasks better at three years than those in the control arm, patients relying on native residual vision, the Sylmar, Calif., company said Tuesday.

These individuals have increased independence, can navigate their own homes, walk through doorways and cross streets, says Dr. Allen C. Ho, director of retinal research, Wills Eye Hospital. 

The system works by converting images captured by a small video camera mounted on a patient’s glasses into a series of tiny electrical pulses. These pulses bypass the nonworking retinal cells and activate the remaining viable ones, which allow the perception of patterns of light in the brain, and enable patients to regain some visual function.

The product is the only retinal implant to have secured both FDA approval and CE Mark certification, the company claims. — Jason Scott