Science Corp. implants first PRIMA vision chip in Stargardt disease patient

At one outlet Disrupt, Science Corporation CEO Max Hodak revealed that the company’s PRIMA retinal prosthesis has been implanted in its first Stargardt disease patient during a trial at Sydney Eye Hospital in Australia. The procedure involved inserting a two-by-two-millimetre chip behind the eye, where it receives visual data from glasses and transmits electrical signals to the optic nerve, allowing the patient to perceive high-contrast black-and-white images.

In the initial rehabilitation sessions the patient could recognize a letter and then read a word. Hodak explained that while PRIMA is already marketed in Europe for age-related macular degeneration, the technology could be adapted to other retinal disorders. He also discussed future generations of the implant that would cover a wider field of view and approach native visual acuity within five years. The company views this vision work as a stepping stone toward broader brain-computer interface applications for neurological conditions.