Can Retinal Implants Restore Vision?

What if an artificial retina or another type of electronic implant could restore vision? Unlike current therapies that only slow the progression of the disease, retinal prostheses are designed to actually restore vision for people with retinal degeneration. In this Macular Chats episode, we explore this emerging field and break down the different types of implants in development, including the PRIMA implant—the only retinal prosthesis currently in production and the first viable treatment for geographic atrophy from AMD—and look ahead to what’s next in the research pipeline.

Dr. Frank Brodie is a retinal specialist and vitreoretinal surgeon at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and the medical director of vision programs at Science Corporation. He completed dual degrees in medicine and business at the University of Pennsylvania before residency in Ophthalmology at UCSF and surgical fellowship at Duke University. Additionally he did a postdoctoral research year at Stanford University in collaboration with Daniel Palanker, inventor of the PRIMA implant.