Implanting a tiny telescope can restore vision to older people

89-year-old California-based artist Virginia Bane was forced to quit painting due to partial loss of vision. The reason for this is age-related retinal degeneration. Surgeons from the University of California implanted a miniature telescope into the woman’s eye, partially returning her vision.

- Now I see much better. Colors have become brighter and more natural, I can read large print with glasses. But for the past seven years I have not been able to read. Now I'm waiting when I can return to drawing.

Richard van Baskirk, optometrist for the Sacramento Blind Society, explained what was happening.

- The vision returns thanks to the implant installed in the left eye. This allows Virginia to see small details, read books, use the keyboard, and more. At the same time, her right eye provides peripheral vision - this is movement in space, for example. Ultimately, the brain processes the signals from two eyes and makes the necessary correction.



To date, 50 people have received such implants in the United States. Studies are conducted on persons over 75 years of age with stable, incurable signs of age-related retinal degeneration. Only those with so-called “dry” degeneration are allowed to the procedure. There is an even less common type of disease - “wet degeneration”. Such patients are not allowed to the procedure because of the risk of edema.

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