"Bionic Nanna" can see again in a UK-first
An 88-year-old woman has had her vision partially restored in the UK’s first-ever bionic eye transplant.
The UK mother-of-seven has been nicknamed “bionic Nana” by her eight grandchildren after she was the first patient to receive a tiny microchip implanted into her pupil.
After suffering from geographic atrophy, a common form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that causes a blind spot to develop in the middle of the eye, she has received the implant through a Europe-wide clinical trial.
Image: Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (YouTube)
The tiny microchip is connected to a computer via a pair of glasses containing a video camera. The computer tells the glasses to focus on particular parts of her surroundings, and an image of it is then projected onto the microchip and converted into an electrical signal that can be processed by her brain.
Prior to the implant, she said the condition prevented her from doing many of the things she loved.
“Losing the sight in my left eye through dry AMD has stopped me from doing the things I love, like gardening, playing indoor bowls and painting with watercolours,” she said in a statement from Moorfield Eye Hospital.
Though the transplant was a resounding success, the woman will still need to undergo a year of testing and check-ups to ensure no issues arise.
“I am thrilled to be the first to have this implant, excited at the prospect of enjoying my hobbies again and I truly hope that many others will benefit from this too,” she said.
Image: Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (YouTube)