A retinal implant the size of a grain of rice just won European approval — and it could let millions of Americans with macular degeneration read again

Called Prima, the implant will be available across 30 European countries and could be in the U.S. as early as next year. Germany will be the first country where it is distributed. The company says people who are fitted with it will once again be able to read letters, numbers and words.

“We have a cochlear implant for vision now,” Science founder and CEO Max Hodak told healthcare news outlet Stat.

Most severe cases

While millions of people are diagnosed with macular degeneration, not all of them lose their vision. In the U.S., at present, however, 1 million people have been declared legally blind due to geographic atrophy, an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration.

Prima is designed for people who suffer from geographic atrophy. The miniscule implant, the size of a grain of rice, works in conjunction with specialized glasses, which project near-infrared light to the implant, which converts it into electrical stimulation signals. The glasses then “zoom in” and magnify the letters, helping patients read.

In a multi-clinical trial, Science tested the implant on 38 patients across five countries. Of that group, 84% reported restored functional central vision, meaning they were once again able to read letters, numbers and words. There was also a mean improvement of 25 letters (more than five lines) on the ETDRS letter chart, the rows of letters often found in optometrists’ offices.

Investor interest

The regulatory approval and the successful trial have made Science something of a darling among investors. The company has raised almost $500 million since it was founded in 2021, and most recently closed a $230-million round in March.

Rather than building a device that’s expected to work in years, like the company touting a bionic eye two decades ago that ultimately folded, Science’s product is offering a solution that can be used today.