Macular degeneration is a serious eye disease that affects about 200 million people around the world, mostly older adults over the age of 60.
It causes people to slowly lose their central vision, which is the sharp, clear vision we use to read, recognize faces, and see fine details. As the disease gets worse, people can only see using their side (peripheral) vision, which is blurry and much less useful for everyday tasks.
This condition happens when special cells in the center of the retina, called the macula, begin to break down. These cells are called photoreceptors, and they play a key role in detecting light and sending visual signals to the brain. When they stop working, the brain can no longer create clear images.
Currently, the treatments for macular degeneration can only slow the disease down. Some patients take vitamins, and others get drugs that stop new blood vessels from growing into the macula. But these treatments cannot bring back vision once the photoreceptor cells are lost.
Now, scientists at Stanford University have developed a new technology that offers real hope. Two years ago, Dr. Daniel Palanker and his team created a device that can give back some sight to people who have lost it due to macular degeneration.
This system includes a tiny chip that is implanted in the eye and a special pair of glasses. The glasses project images onto the chip, which sends signals to the brain to create an image.
This device helped patients regain some central vision. They could once again see large letters and shapes in the center of their vision. In a new study, the researchers found that this new vision system works well with the person’s remaining side vision.
People in the study could look at colored lines in both the center and the edges of their vision and understand their direction at the same time.
This means the brain is able to combine the new artificial central vision from the implant with the natural side vision, creating a fuller picture. This is important because many daily tasks need both central and peripheral vision—like walking around safely or recognizing a face from across a room.
The current version of the device can only give a visual sharpness of about 20/460, which is enough to see large letters but not enough to read a book or clearly recognize faces. The scientists are working hard to improve the resolution so that people can see more clearly and use the device for a wider range of activities.
This breakthrough could change the lives of many people who live with macular degeneration. While current treatments can only slow the disease, this new approach might bring back some of the vision that was lost. That could mean more independence and a better life for people who have this condition.
Although the device still needs to be improved, this research is a big step toward building a practical solution for people who have lost their central vision. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows the power of combining new technology with medicine to solve big health problems.
If you care about eye health, please read studies about how vitamin B may help fight vision loss, and MIND diet may reduce risk of vision loss disease.
For more information about eye disease, please see recent studies about how to protect your eyes from glaucoma, and results showing this eye surgery may reduce dementia risk.
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