New device is restoring some sight in people who are blind

Researchers are hopeful that a new device could soon help people who lost their sight be able to see again.

A clinical study is now underway at the University of California, Los Angeles. One of the volunteers is Jason Esterhuizen of South Africa, who became blind seven years ago due to injuries sustained in a car accident. For the trial, a device called the Orion was implanted over the visual cortex in Esterhuizen's brain. He wears a pair of sunglasses that are equipped with a small camera, and those images are transmitted to the Orion, which converts them into electrical pulses that stimulate electrodes in Esterhuizen's brain. This lets him see patterns of light, which are used as visual cues, Inside Edition reports.

Esterhuizen said he's able to see "little white dots on a black background. It's like looking up at the stars at night." The study's leader, Dr. Nader Pouratian, told Inside Edition trial participants are able to determine where crosswalks and doorways are, "all extremely meaningful events that can help these people regain some form of independence." Right now, the implant is only able to stimulate the left side of the brain, and researchers are trying to figure out a way to get the implant to work on both sides. Esterhuizen, who said he can once again sort laundry and take out the trash, thinks it is "amazing" to "have some form of vision again." Catherine Garcia

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up