Sheep test on bionic eye success - 14th March 2022

A bionic eye first tried out on sheep will now begin human trials. This follows a 2021 Australian medical trial conducted on a flock of sheep, with the aim of helping people with certain types of sight loss.

The animals spent three months with bionic, artificial eyes surgically implanted behind their retinas. This layer of light-sensitive cells at the back of the eyeball converts light into electrical messages. These messages travel to the brain via the optic nerve for processing.

The device, called Phoenix 99, ignores faulty cells in the retina and stimulates those which can still function. The trial, carried out by a team of researchers from both Sydney and New South Wales universities, used the study to identify any adverse reactions in the animals. Since they found no side effects, an application's now been made to start testing in humans.

According to the World Health Organisation, at least 2.2 billion people globally suffer from some form of impaired vision. These sight problems range from mild symptoms to complete blindness. While use of bionic eye systems in treatment is a young industry, technological discoveries are moving forward at speed.

New Jersey ophthalmologist Dr Hilal-Campo states that one current problem remains the technology's high cost, which makes it "accessible to very few people". In addition, she claims that "the technology is limited," but adds a note of optimism: "I am optimistic that in the coming years, biotech firms will continue to find new ways to help restore sight in those with vision loss."

London optometrist Bhavin Shah agrees that bionic eyes still have a long way to go but believes they'll become far more widespread. However, his main interest is research which endeavours to remove the need for them at all. As he explains, "there is still a strong drive to treat or prevent blindness from occurring in the first place."