Successfully implanted artificial eyes for humans

This is a new step in biomedical science when humans can successfully transplant their eyes for the first time in a patient with vision loss.

The world's first artificial eye transplant was successful

The surgery performed in Manchester (UK) by doctors of the Mancheser Royal Hospital has recently been considered the world's first successful eye transplant.

Ray Flynn in the test about lines on the computer screen after surgery.

The man named Ray Flynn , 80, who suffered from macular degeneration due to age caused his vision to be completely lost.

Currently after the surgery, he is using a retinal implant capable of converting images from a small video camera placed on the glass. Now, he was able to determine the direction of the horizontal lines and vertical lines on the computer screen through the use of the above glasses.

Flynn said he is "delighted " with the new model and hopes it will improve his vision enough to help him perform many household tasks such as gardening or shopping. .

Description of how Flynn's eye tissue works.

It is known that the implants named Argus II produced by US company Second Sight have been used to restore the vision for many patients who are blind due to rare retinitis pigmentosa disease.

However, the case of transplantation in patients with macular degeneration, one of the most common eye problems with Flynn is the first transplant. The disease had previously taken away Mr. Flynn's eyesight and made him sit very close to the TV to see everything.

The surgery took place over 4 hours and was directed by Paulo Stanga, a retina consultant and ophthalmologist, at the Manchester Eye Royal Hospital and a range of other ophthalmic professors at the University. . Manchester.

Stanga said Flynn's progress was remarkable, as he could see people and objects in a very effective way.

Stanga added, "this is just the beginning of a new era for vision loss patients."

Basically, Flynn's new eye implant works according to the mechanism of receiving information and images from a miniature camera attached to the patient's glasses.

The tissue is implanted in Flynn's eye.

These images are then converted into electrical impulses and transmitted wirelessly to an electrode array attached to Flynn's retina . Then the electrodes will continue to stimulate the retina's cells and send image information to the brain.

Flynn's disease of macular degeneration has two different forms of age related to dry and wet macular degeneration. Flynn's form of dry degeneration accounts for 85% of people with this disease, causing them to gradually lose sight in the center of the retina but not affect the surrounding imaging areas.

An estimated 44,000 people in the UK suffer from dry macular degeneration every year. Meanwhile, the Manchester hospital in the UK has undertaken a transplant test for 4 people with this disease every year.

The Church of Stanga is delighted to say: " We hope the patients will develop the visual ability in the center to help them work and look around. We are delighted by this test. and hopefully, this technology can help people, including children, with other forms of impairment or loss of vision. "

The historic surgery lasted more than 4 hours.

The Argus II implant currently costs about 234 thousand dollars, including the cost of treatment, although all patients participating in the trial are free.

The above tests are being carried out at the Manchester Clinical Research Facility under the financial support from the National Institutes of Health Research with the aim of bringing medical drugs and devices to support patients. .

These are just the first experimental studies and very likely in the future, we will see the fruitful results from this study soon be more widely applied in all patients.