Those who are blind due to retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration now have hope for restoring their sight.
Hope for the blind from retinitis pigmentosa to see again.
A startup in Alameda, California named Science has designed a visual prosthetic called Science Eye that may restore vision in individuals suffering from retinitis pigmentosa.
“Science Eye [is] a visual prosthetic aimed at retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), two forms of severe blindness that currently have no good options for patients,” the introduction from Science states.
Science Eye implant device.
The company also notes that the device will not function for individuals with glaucoma or cataracts.
“In diseases like RP and dry AMD, the light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye—the photoreceptors—have died, but the cells of the optic nerve still exist.
By inserting a gene into the cells of the optic nerve, we can stimulate them using a small screen placed inside the eye,” Science explains on its website.
Science’s analysis of “Science Eye”.
Science Eye is a “combination device” with two main components:
The first part is an implant that includes a wireless electrical coil and a super-thin, flexible micro-LED array applied directly to the retina.
This implant is based on two factors:
Optogenetic therapy: A protein nanoparticle is used to deliver a gene to certain retinal ganglion cells (optic nerve), making them sensitive to light at a specific wavelength.
High-resolution display film: A small, flexible, high-resolution display film is surgically implanted in the retina to allow for better control of the newly light-sensitive ganglion cells.
The process of installing “Science Eye”.
During the surgical procedure, the implant is slid through the eye, and the screen is inserted through a small incision. The implant is then securely fixed, and the screen is placed on the retina. This surgery is much more invasive than other procedures, such as cataract surgery.
This electronic device is similar in size to the glaucoma drainage tubes commonly used today and can be inserted frequently without the need for general anesthesia, and patients cannot feel it after insertion.
The second part is a pair of frameless glasses that resemble regular prescription glasses and contain a miniaturized infrared camera and an induction coil.
After surgery, the eye will receive digital image information sufficient to avoid collisions when going outside.
The company explains that making the optic nerve sensitive to light does not guarantee the restoration of vision. The company clarifies: “the signals sent down the optic nerve are heavily compressed compared to the images formed on photoreceptor cells through the lens of the eye,” and it is this “compressed data that the Science Eye implant will stimulate into the optic nerve.”
After surgery, the eye does not receive images but instead receives digital information.
Science assures that a person using Science Eye can walk across the street “without being hit by cars.” The company adds that clinical trials for Science Eye will begin in the next 18 months.
According to the U.S. National Eye Institute (NIH), retinitis pigmentosa is a rare group of eye diseases that affects vision by causing the cells in the retina to gradually break down over time, ultimately leading to vision loss. It is a condition that people are born with, and symptoms often begin in childhood.
With the research on “Science Eye,” the opportunity to bring light back to those suffering from these two diseases is truly promising.
The CEO and co-founder of Science is Max Hodak, who previously founded the controversial company Neuralink, backed by tech billionaire Elon Musk.
However, Science is not the only company bringing hope for vision restoration to those suffering from these conditions. The biotechnology firm GenSight Biologics based in Paris and Bionic Sight in New York are also experimenting with optogenetics—a form of gene therapy providing a protein called opsin via injection into the eye to enhance the sensitivity of retinal cells in patients.
