Geographic atrophy, a severe form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), remains the leading cause of irreversible blindness, affecting more than five million people globally. At present, no available treatments can restore vision once lost. The PRIMA system, a photovoltaic retinal implant, offers a novel approach by combining a subretinal microarray with specialized glasses that project near-infrared light onto the implant, enabling visual signals in regions of central retinal atrophy.
A clinical study evaluated its efficacy in 32 individuals with geographic atrophy and a baseline visual acuity of at least 1.2 logMAR. After 12 months of follow-up, 26 participants (81%) who received the PRIMA implant achieved a clinically significant gain in visual acuity compared with baseline, including the ability to read 10 or more additional letters on a standard eye chart. However, 19…
