Bionic Implant Restores Functional Vision to patients with Atrophic AMD, Receives CE Marking
Paris, France – A groundbreaking bionic implant, developed by Pixium Vision and the Vision Institute, is offering renewed hope to individuals suffering from atrophic age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of low vision in people over 60 in France. The implant, known as PRIMA, has already received CE marking for clinical use in Europe and a request has been submitted to extend this marking for broader marketing and treatment of atrophic AMD in European hospitals, following promising results published in October 2025.
Atrophic AMD progressively destroys light-sensitive cells in the retina, leading to irreversible vision loss. Unlike the more common “wet” form of AMD, there are currently no effective treatments to restore sight lost due to the atrophic form. the PRIMA implant works by capturing light and stimulating remaining functional retinal cells, enabling patients to perceive shapes, letters, and even faces, though with limited resolution compared to natural vision.
“For the first time, patients who had lost all hope of seeing again regained functional visual perception,” researchers stated. While the vision obtained is not equivalent to natural sight, patients require several weeks of visual rehabilitation to learn to interpret the new light sensations.
Researchers caution that the implant is not without limitations, particularly given the aging and frequently enough fragile nature of the patient population. The success of the PRIMA system hinges on wider accessibility, requiring ample institutional support for surgeon training, rehabilitation funding, health insurance coverage, and distribution beyond major university centers. Without this support, the technology risks remaining available only to a limited number of patients.
According to Public Health France, the prevalence of AMD is expected to rise dramatically with increased life expectancy, potentially exploding by 2050, making the potential impact of a prosperous treatment like PRIMA significant for public health.
