Life-changing eye implant helps blind patients read again

For the research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 38 patients with geographic atrophy in five European countries took part in the trial of the Prima implant, which is made by California biotech Science Corporation.

Of 32 patients given the implant, 27 were able to read again using their central vision. After a year, this equated to an improvement of 25 letters, or five lines, on an eye chart.

For Sheila, from Wiltshire, the improvement is even more dramatic. Without the implant, she is completely unable to read.

But when we filmed Sheila reading an eye chart at Moorfields Hospital, she did not make a single error. After completing it, she punched the air and cheered.

The task took huge concentration. Sheila had to put a pillow under her chin in order to steady the feed from the camera, which can focus on just one or two letters at a time. At some points she needed the device switched to magnification mode, especially to distinguish between the letters C and O.

Sheila began losing her central vision more than 30 years ago, due to loss of cells in the retina. She describes her vision as like having two black discs in each eye.

Sheila gets around using a white cane because her very limited peripheral vision is completely blurred. She is unable to read even the largest street signs when outdoors.

When she had to give up her driving licence, she says she cried.

But after having an implant fitted around three years ago, she is delighted by her progress, as is the medical team at Moorfields.

"I am able to read my post, books, and do crosswords and Sudoku," she says.

When asked if she ever thought she'd read again, Sheila replied: "Not on your nelly!"

"It is amazing. I am one happy bunny," she adds.

"Technology is moving so fast, it's amazing that I am part of it."

Sheila doesn't wear the device when outdoors. In part, this is because it requires great concentration - her head has to be held very still in order to read. She also does not want to become over-reliant on the device.

Instead, she says she "rushes her chores" at home each day before sitting down and putting on the special glasses.

The Prima implant is not yet licensed so is not available outside of clinical trials, and it's unclear how much it may eventually cost.

Nonetheless, Mahi Muqit said he hoped it would be available to some NHS patients "within a few years."

It's possible the technology could be used to help people with other eye conditions in the future.

Dr Peter Bloomfield, director of research at Macular Society, says the results are "encouraging" and "fantastic news" for those who currently have no treatment options.

"Artificial vision may offer a lot of hope to many, particularly after previous disappointments in the world of dry AMD treatment.

"We are now watching closely to see if the Prima implant will be approved for use here in the UK, and crucially whether it could be made available on the NHS."

The trials are not expected to help those with conditions where the optic nerve, which sends signals from the retina to the brain, is not functioning.