Read, Watch or Listen

A study published Monday in the New England Journal of Medicine reports that 38 people with age-related macular degeneration regained partial central vision using a tiny retinal implant paired with camera-equipped smart glasses. The 2-by-2-millimeter photovoltaic device, surgically placed under the retina, converts near infrared images from the glasses into electrical pulses to the optic nerve. After a year, 26 of 32 remaining participants saw better than at baseline—enough for many to tackle crosswords and read books—though vision remained blurry and monochrome. The technology, now owned by Science Corporation, was acquired from Pixium Vision after funding ran out.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.