Results vary by patient , but many people in trials were able to see the shape of door frames or people in a room , although not the details of their faces . Some people were even able to distinguish between a fork and a spoon , but it does not replace full sight for details as specific as reading .
“ In some of the latest testing , some people could make out large letters ,” says Lyons .
Many other types of retinal implant technologies are being developed , but Lyons believes it will be a few years before they are approved in Canada .
As for receiving an implant , the surgery itself is actually relatively straightforward according to Lyons . In fact , a retinal implant is attached to a scleral buckle , so the procedure to insert an implant is very similar to the process for repairing a retinal detachment .
The difficulty comes with the recovery and training after surgery , where patients will essentially need to re-learn how to see .
Dr . Rose is thrilled that the Second Sight Argus II has been approved in his country , but says there ’ s still plenty of work to be done before it ’ s a common procedure . The prosthetic retina was approved there in December but proper centres , funding and training still need to be put in place .
“ They ’ re still getting their ducks in order ,” he says , “ and probably need to ramp up manufacturing now . But I imagine the popularity will grow over the next six months .”
According to Dr . Rose , there are three major stages after surgery : the initial healing process , a testing phase to make sure the technology is working ( ensuring different pixels work ) and then a learning phase where the patient must adapt and adjust to this new technology . The length of this final phase , he says , is patient-dependent because “ it can be intense .” People will begin to see flashes and lights and their mind will be reconnecting these shapes with the world they once saw .
Other retinal implant technology will also soon be tested in the United States and , presumably , in Canada too . A German company called Retina Implant AG is currently testing its implant technology and Italian researchers are exploring how a light-sensitive polymer can be used to restore light-sensing capabilities and how its flexibility compares to using a solid chip , as in the Argus II , for example .
“ But that in no way diminishes what Second Sight has accomplished ,” says Rose . “ What they have accomplished is phenomenal .” •
You can find further information about other technologies in the works through the Canadian Foundation Fighting Blindness : www . ffb . ca .
28 OPTICAL PRISM | MAY / JUNE 2013