Enrolment in the first phase of a US clinical trial of an electronic retinal implant is now complete, while enrolment at two European sites is still continuing. A third European study site at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, UK, recently received government approval and is expected to begin enrolment shortly.
Internationally, the Argus II study began in Mexico in autumn 2006.
The implant, trademarked Argus II, is the second generation of the product, designed for the treatment of blindness due to Retinitis Pigmentosa, a group of inherited eye diseases that affect the retina.
The implant consists of an array of 60 electrodes that are attached to the retina. They ...