A 68 year old American, Allen Zderad was able to see his wife for the first time in 10 years after his sight was restored recently.
The Minnesotan is suffering from a degenerative eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that currently has no effective treatment or cure.
However, a clinical trial using a system called Second Sight has given Zderad the ability to see shapes, make out human forms and even see his own reflection in a window.
Allen Zderad was able to see his wife after being blind for 10 years.
Zderad was the first ideal patient for the clinical trial, which the Mayo Clinic describes as a “bionic
eye implant that sends light wave signals to the optic nerve, bypassing
the damaged retina. A tiny wafer-like chip was embedded in his right
eye, wires attached in a surgical procedure in January, then two weeks
later, the rest of the prosthetic device set in glasses was activated.”
eye implant that sends light wave signals to the optic nerve, bypassing
the damaged retina. A tiny wafer-like chip was embedded in his right
eye, wires attached in a surgical procedure in January, then two weeks
later, the rest of the prosthetic device set in glasses was activated.”
“It’s a bionic eye in every sense of the word. “It’s not a replacement for the eyeball, but it works by interacting with the eye,” Dr. Raymond Iezzi Jr., who performed the procedure, said.
This
is just the beginning of the treatment, however. The Mayo Clinic said
that more adjustments are necessary, and hours of physical therapy lie
ahead for Zderad.
is just the beginning of the treatment, however. The Mayo Clinic said
that more adjustments are necessary, and hours of physical therapy lie
ahead for Zderad.
You can watch the video of when he saw his wife for the first time (HERE)