First use of 'bionic eye' for macular degeneration

MANCHESTER, U.K. (WPVI) -- There is new hope for the millions of Americans with macular degeneration, the most common cause of vision loss.

Action News first told you about this new technology, known as a 'bionic eye', last fall.

Thanks to a new device implanted at Wills Eye Hospital, Fran Fulton of Center City was able to see again for the first time in 15 years.

Fulton has a rare eye disease, retinitis pigmentosa.

But doctors at Royal Manchester Hospital in Manchester, U.K., just implanted the same bionic eye, the Argus II system by Second Sight, in Ray Flynn, who suffers from the more common macular degeneration.

AMD sufferers lose their central vision, so they won't see someone's face when they meet them, can't drive, and have a hard time doing other daily tasks, from cooking to using an ATM.

Here's how Argus II system by Second Sight works: the patient wears special glasses with a camera.

Information picked up with the camera are transmitted to the retinal implant.

Those signals are sent to the brain to interpret.

"Vertical, horizontal, oh this is wonderful," remarked Flynn as he 'looked' at lines on a screen just minutes after his system was turned on.

Dr. Paulo Stanga, the lead surgeon on the implant team, says it was a thrilling success,

"This is just the beginning. This could be the beginning of a new era," Dr. Stanga remarked.

During an interview for our story last fall, Dr. Allen Ho of Wills Eye Hospital concurred, saying use of the Argus II system by Second Sight for widespread problems like macular degeneration would be a significant step.

Patients will not see as they used to. The images will be more crude, but the Argus II system by Second Sight'bionic eye' can significantly help them get around better.