Investor Updates
Australian hospital performs world’s first bionic eye implantation
7 September 2012
A cross-disciplinary group of Australian researchers successfully performed the world’s first bionic eye implantation at the Royal Victorian Ear and Eye Hospital last month.
Scientists and a specialist surgical team from the national research consortium Bionic Vision Australia fitted their first patient, Dianne Ashworth, with an early prototype of the bionic eye in August.
Last week the device was switched on and Ms Ashworth – a patient with profound vision loss – was able to experience some vision in response to electric stimulation. Over the next two years, researchers will work with Ms Ashworth to develop useful vision and determine exactly how the brain responds to various levels of stimulation.
Bionic Vision Australia has heralded the implantation as a major milestone on its journey to develop innovative technology to restore vision to people living with blindness and vision impairment.
Director of Bionic Vision Australia, Professor Anthony Burkitt, said: “This outcome is a strong example of what a multi-disciplinary research team can achieve.
“Funding from the Australian Government was critical in reaching this important milestone. The Bionics Institute and the surgeons at the Centre for Eye Research Australia played a critical role in reaching this point.”
Bolstered by the success of Ms Ashworth’s surgery and with continued support from the government’s Australian Research Council (ARC), Bionic Vision will now work towards implantation of the full bionic eye device.
More information