Retina Implant AG, a Reutlingen, Germany firm, obtained European regulatory approval for its Alpha AMS subretinal implant for people that have become blind due to retinitis pigmentosa. The new device is an upgrade to the Alpha IMS that was cleared in Europe back in 2013.
The Alpha AMS features 1,600 pixels, which is 100 more than the Alpha IMS model, providing patients with improved visual clarity.
The implant chip replaces the functionality of the retina, capturing images multiple times a second and stimulating the optic nerve based on what it’s seeing. There is no external camera, so vision is more natural than systems that capture the visual field using cameras, and the patient looks around with the eyes rather than having to turn the entire head to change the point of view.
Link: Retina Implant technology page…
Flashbacks: Alpha IMS Vision Restoring Wireless Retinal Implant Now Cleared in Europe…; Retina Implant First Results from Human Trial…; Retinal Implant Alpha IMS Brings Sight to Blind in New Study…;