A tiny wireless retinal implant has help patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) regain usable vision in a recent trial. 81% of participants showed clinically meaningful improvements in visual acuity, with most able to read letters, numbers, and short words after one year. Patients gained 25 letters on a standard eye chart on average, which equates to about five lines of vision. The implant works by replacing damaged photoreceptors with a 2×2 mm wireless chip that converts light into electrical signals. Images captured by camera-equipped glasses are projected onto the implant, stimulating remaining retinal cells and sending visual information to the brain. While it doesn’t restore perfect vision, the device could help many patients move above the threshold for legal blindness.

Reference:

Holz FG, et al. N Engl J Med. Published online October 20, 2025. DOI:10.1056/NEJMoa2501396.