Bionic eye ready for human trials

Sharp-eyed vision from sheep tests - 14th March 2022

An Australian flock of sheep have played a crucial role in research to help the visually impaired see using bionic eye implants. A medical trial carried out on the sheep in 2021 has the overall goal of countering sight loss caused by certain degenerative eye disorders.

Having surgically grafted the implants onto the animals' retinas for a 12 week period, researchers found that their device, named Phoenix 99, was capable of bypassing unhealthy cells and triggering those cells still able to function. The photo-sensitive cells in the sheep's retinal area then converted light into an electric pulse and communicated this to the brain for interpretation via the optic nerve.

The success of the trial was measured by the absence of physical side effects to the implant in the surrounding tissues. As the devices were evidently well-tolerated, the trial gives the green light to applications for human testing.

The WHO states that partial or complete visual impairment afflicts over 2.2 billion people across the globe. The evolution of bionic technology to enhance sight is still in its early stages, though the field is advancing in leaps and bounds. US ophthalmologist Dr Hilal-Campo, from New Jersey, acknowledges that the exorbitant costs of the devices generally preclude people from gaining access to such revolutionary technology.

At the same time, she highlights the constraints of such equipment to date, which currently only allows for "the perception of light and shadows and, to some extent, shapes." In spite of this, the specialist remains upbeat about developments, commenting that "in the coming years, biotech firms will continue to find new ways to help restore sight in those with vision loss."

According to Bhavin Shah, a London-based optometrist, whilst bionic eyes remain out of reach, they are at least within sight and he assumes that they'll become far more commonplace. His priority, however, remains prevention rather than cure: "There is still a strong drive to treat or prevent blindness from occurring in the first place."