FDA approves first bionic eye

A new device may allow those suffering from a rare kind of blindness to detect light and dark.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• A new device can be used to treat a rare type of blindness called retinitis pigmentosa
• The artificial retina is approved for those over 25 who can see some light
• It may be approved to treat other conditions in the future

(TIME.com) -- It won't restore sight completely, but allows sight-impaired individuals to detect light and dark.

On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a device created by Second Sight Medical Products that can be used to treat a rare type of blindness called retinitis pigmentosa.

Retinitis pigmentosa is a genetic eye condition in which cells of the retina, which are responsible for translating light rays into images in the brain, gradually deteriorate.

People with the condition start to lose peripheral vision first, then find it harder to see at night until eventually their central vision is lost as well. According to the national statistics, about one in 4,000 people in the United States are affected by RP.