Partial vision has been successfully restored to the majority of patients with late stage retinitis pigmentosa and cone-rod dystrophy who have received an Alpha IMS subretinal implant.
In a report on its global clinical trial involving seven sites across five countries, Retina Implant AG announced:
• “More than 86 per cent of patients implanted with the 3×3 mm2 device with 1,500 electrodes experienced improved ability to detect light, including the identification of specific light sources.
• “Nearly half of the 29 previously blind study patients reported restoration of useful visual experiences in daily life, including the recognition of shapes and household objects, improved ability to identify facial features and some of them even the ability to read letters.”
The study titled, “Subretinal Visual Implant Alpha IMSClinical Trial Interim Report,” was published in the May 2015 edition of the peer-reviewed journal Vision Research.
“The impact of RP is profound for patients, and with no treatment options available until recently, diagnosing patients with the disease has been extremely difficult. For years, the ophthalmology community has strived to develop a treatment or technology that offers a solution to help RP patients regain some useful vision. It is incredibly gratifying to have reached this point,” said Dr. Katarina Stingl, study lead from the Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Germany.
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