'Bionic eye' restores vision for macular degeneration victim

A British pensioner who lost most of his sight to macular degeneration has been fitted with a 'bionic eye' that has enabled him to make out faces and watch television for the first time in eight years.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) gradually robbed Ray Flynn, 80, of his sight until only his peripheral vision remained.

In June, the retired engineer was selected to try out an ambitious new implant, which would be the first device to combine both natural and artificial vision to restore as much of the patient's sight as possible.

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During a four-hour operation at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Flynn was fitted with the Argus II retinal implant, developed by Second Sight Medical Products. The implant receives a video feed from a small camera attached to his glasses and transmits it into his retina in the form of electrical pulses which stimulate undamaged cells. With time, his brain will learn to interpret these signals better and better, resulting in a clearer impression.

Although he has only been wearing the device for a few weeks and has yet to adapt fully, Flynn says the implant has already changed his life. For the first time in years, he can make out faces and is looking forward to watching his favourite football team, Manchester United, on television. Because the device relies on a video feed, Flynn can see even with his eyes closed.

"Your eyes are the most precious thing," Flynn told the Daily Telegraph. "My brain is still trying to catch up and work out what is going on, but I have been told it will continue to get better."

Professor Paolo Stanga, consultant ophthalmologist at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, told The Guardian: "Mr Flynn's progress is truly remarkable. He is seeing the outline of people and objects very effectively. This is new information that Ray's brain is receiving and his brain now needs to get used to interpreting it."

With as many as 25 million sufferers worldwide, AMD is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world – and the number of cases is set to rise as the population continues to age. There is currently no way to halt or reverse the degeneration, so this new treatment could bring hope to the 500,000 people in the UK currently affected by the disease.