Retinal implant restores reading vision in people with advanced macular degeneration, NEJM study finds
In the PRIMAvera trial, 81% of participants had a meaningful gain in visual acuity at one year with Science Corp.'s PRIMA system.
A wireless implant placed under the retina has restored central vision to many people blinded by advanced age-related macular degeneration, according to results of the PRIMAvera trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine on October 20, 2025, and presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.
The trial
PRIMAvera enrolled 38 people with geographic atrophy, a late form of dry macular degeneration that destroys the light-sensing cells in the center of the retina. Surgeons at 17 sites in five European countries implanted the PRIMA chip, a 2-millimeter photovoltaic device. Patients wear glasses with a camera that projects near-infrared light onto it, and the chip converts that light into electrical stimulation of the remaining retinal cells.
Thirty-two participants reached the 12-month assessment. Of these, 26 (81%) had a clinically meaningful improvement in visual acuity, and most could again read letters, numbers and words with the prosthetic vision. Six participants did not reach the endpoint, including three who died during the study.
Why it matters
Geographic atrophy affects millions of people, and no previous treatment has restored lost central vision. PRIMA, now developed by Science Corporation, produces black-and-white, lower-resolution vision rather than natural sight. Even so, reading text again is a meaningful gain for daily life. The results later supported European approval of the device (our coverage).
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