IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-58084-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enhancing prosthetic vision by upgrade of a subretinal photovoltaic implant in situ

Author

Listed:
  • Mohajeet B. Bhuckory

    (Stanford University
    Stanford University)

  • Nicharee Monkongpitukkul

    (Stanford University
    Prince of Songkla University)

  • Andrew Shin

    (Stanford University)

  • Anna Kochnev Goldstein

    (Stanford University)

  • Nathan Jensen

    (Stanford University)

  • Sarthak V. Shah

    (Stanford University)

  • Davis Pham-Howard

    (Stanford University
    Stanford University)

  • Emma Butt

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • Roopa Dalal

    (Stanford University)

  • Ludwig Galambos

    (Stanford University)

  • Keith Mathieson

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • Theodore Kamins

    (Stanford University)

  • Daniel Palanker

    (Stanford University
    Stanford University)

Abstract

In patients with atrophic age-related macular degeneration, subretinal photovoltaic implant (PRIMA) provided visual acuity up to 20/440, matching its 100 µm pixels size. Next-generation implants with smaller pixels should significantly improve the acuity. This study in rats evaluates removal of a subretinal implant, replacement with a newer device, and the resulting grating acuity in-vivo. Six weeks after the initial implantation with planar and 3-dimensional devices, the retina was re-detached, and the devices were successfully removed. Histology demonstrated a preserved inner nuclear layer. Re-implantation of new devices into the same location demonstrated retinal re-attachment to a new implant. New devices with 22 µm pixels increased the grating acuity from the 100 µm capability of PRIMA implants to 28 µm, reaching the limit of natural resolution in rats. Reimplanted devices exhibited the same stimulation threshold as for the first implantation of the same implants in a control group. This study demonstrates the feasibility of safely upgrading the subretinal photovoltaic implants to improve prosthetic visual acuity.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohajeet B. Bhuckory & Nicharee Monkongpitukkul & Andrew Shin & Anna Kochnev Goldstein & Nathan Jensen & Sarthak V. Shah & Davis Pham-Howard & Emma Butt & Roopa Dalal & Ludwig Galambos & Keith Mathies, 2025. "Enhancing prosthetic vision by upgrade of a subretinal photovoltaic implant in situ," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-58084-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58084-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58084-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-58084-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-58084-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.