This implant can restore sight for patients with macular degeneration

MIT Technology ReviewOct 16, 2026Oct 16, 2026, 5:00 AM AST

In macular degeneration, the light-sensing cells in the eye die but the rest of the retina's circuitry survives. The Prima system uses camera glasses and a pocket processor to convert video into near-infrared light, which a 378-pixel implant turns into electrical signals for the retina; the implant also powers itself like a solar cell. Over 80 percent of recipients could read again.

Summary written with AI by HowTechMoves, based on reporting by MIT Technology Review.

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