The Guardian : Sight of 84% of people with form of age-related macular degeneration restored after being fitted with device

An electronic eye implant half the thickness of a human hair has helped people with incurable sight loss to see again, opening up a potential “new era” in tackling blindness.

Doctors who implanted the sim card-shaped prosthetic devices say they have helped many of the 38 elderly patients in the trial regain their ability to read letters, numbers and words.

“In the history of artificial vision, this represents a new era,” said Mahi Muqit, a senior consultant at Moorfields eye hospital in London, one of the 17 sites involved.

“Blind patients are actually able to have meaningful central vision restoration, which has never been done before. Getting back the ability to read is a major improvement in their quality of life, lifts their mood and helps to restore their confidence and independence.”

The trial found 84% of participants were once again able to read letters, numbers and words after being fitted with the implant, called the Prima device.

Eye specialists hailed the results as “remarkable” and said the device could help people with the “dry” form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of sight loss in the over-50s.

Moorfields said: “The revolutionary new implant is the first ever device to enable people to read letters, numbers and words through an eye that had lost its sight.”

The 38 patients all had geographic atrophy with dry AMD, which over time progressively deprives someone of their sight and for which there is no treatment. Most people with the condition lose some of their central vision and in some cases it progresses to full sight loss as the cells in the macula die and the central macula melts away.

All had lost their central vision and had only limited peripheral vision before they had the device implanted in an operation lasting less then two hours. Five were treated at Moorfields and the others at hospitals in Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

Sheila Irvine from Wiltshire, one of those who had the chip implanted at Moorfields, said: “Before receiving the implant it was like having two black discs in my eyes, with the outside distorted. I was an avid bookworm and I wanted that back. There was no pain during the operation but you’re still aware of what’s happening.

“It’s made a big difference. It’s a new way of looking through your eyes and it was dead exciting when I began seeing a letter. It’s not simple, learning to read again, but the more hours I put in, the more I pick up.”

The Prima device, a super-thin microchip that is just 2mm by 2mm in size, is inserted under the centre of the eye’s retina in a procedure known as a vitrectomy.

To help them to see and write, patients were given augmented reality glasses containing a video camera connected to a small computer, which they attached to their waistband. It included a zoom feature to make text bigger and easier to read.

Patients can use the glasses to focus and scan the object in the projected image that they want to read. The glasses project the scenes as an infra-red beam across the chip, which activates the device. Artificial intelligence in the waistband computer processes the information and converts it into an electrical signal, which passes through the cells in the retina and optical nerve into the brain.

Muqit stressed that patients had to undergo training and intensive rehabilitation of their eye in order to realise the benefits of the technology.

“It’s not like you’re popping a chip in the eye and then you can see again. You need to learn to use this type of vision,” he said.

The results of the trial are reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.

October 21, Colombo (LNW): The Department of Irrigation has urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert, as flood warnings remain in place for several river basins following days of persistent heavy rainfall across parts of the country.

The public, especially those living near rivers and reservoirs, have been advised to take precautionary measures as water levels continue to rise.

L.S. Sooriyabandara, Director of Hydrology and Disaster Management at the Department, stated that river systems such as the Maha Oya and Deduru Oya are currently experiencing high water volumes, raising concerns of possible flooding in adjacent low-lying regions. These alerts are expected to remain in effect until conditions begin to stabilise.

Among the areas most affected by the current weather conditions is Baddegama, which recorded the highest rainfall with 172 millimetres in a 24-hour period. The situation is particularly concerning in zones surrounding several key river basins, including the Kelani, Kalu, Gin, Attanagalu Oya, and Nilwala rivers. Ongoing rainfall in these catchment areas could lead to further complications if it persists.

Director Sooriyabandara also highlighted increased water inflows into the Kirindi Oya and Lunugamvehera reservoirs, noting that rising reservoir levels could further intensify the risk downstream, especially if additional rainfall necessitates water release.

Officials have advised local authorities to be on high alert and have urged the public to follow guidance issued by disaster management units and remain informed through official weather updates.

October 21, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka has formally launched a new investigative body to tackle illicit wealth and criminal enterprises, marking a major step in the government’s fight against organised crime, corruption, and drug trafficking.

The Proceeds of Crime Investigation Division (PCID) was inaugurated yesterday at the old Police Headquarters in Colombo, with top government and law enforcement officials in attendance.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala emphasised that while legislation is important, real progress depends on swift and effective enforcement. “Laws alone do not bring change. The public must see justice being done—and being done without delay. That is when laws become deterrents,” he said.

The PCID has been established under the newly enacted Proceeds of Crime Act 2025, a sweeping piece of legislation designed to identify, freeze, and reclaim assets obtained through unlawful means. The Minister hailed the Act as a landmark in Sri Lankan legal history, describing it as a comprehensive tool that empowers authorities to act decisively against economic crimes.

Under the new law, authorities can initiate both criminal and civil proceedings against individuals and entities suspected of acquiring assets illegally. The PCID is authorised to cooperate with 34 government agencies in order to trace and recover such wealth. Moreover, it is empowered to accept complaints from the public, freeze suspicious assets for up to 30 days, and bring civil claims to recover unlawfully obtained property.

Senior DIG Asanga Karawita has been appointed as the Director General of the Division for a three-year term, with approval from the National Police Commission. A Deputy Director General has also been appointed to support the Division’s operations.

The Minister noted that although additional laws are being drafted—particularly those targeting organised crime, terrorism, and online safety—the existing framework already provides sufficient authority to act decisively. He stressed that illegal enrichment and the accumulation of wealth through criminal means can be intercepted even without new legislation, as long as the current laws are applied with determination.

Amendments to the Online Safety Act are also underway, being drafted by a multi-ministerial committee involving representatives from the Justice, Public Security, Mass Media, and Foreign Affairs ministries. The proposed changes are expected to be tabled in Parliament within the next two months.

Additionally, Minister Wijepala revealed that steps are being taken to review and ultimately replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). A legal committee, led by the Attorney General’s Department, has been tasked with drafting new legislation that aligns with contemporary security challenges and international human rights standards.

Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya, also speaking at the event, acknowledged that the current legal system has suffered due to a failure to enforce existing laws properly. He welcomed the creation of the PCID and the Proceeds of Crime Act, noting that police officers have now been granted greater legal authority than ever before—but urged them to wield that power responsibly and in the public interest.

He also noted that a Bill specifically targeting organised crime is being finalised for presentation in Parliament and stressed the need to close longstanding legal loopholes that have hindered enforcement efforts.

One key feature of the new Act is its retroactive application. The law enables action to be taken based on past audit reports, with the Auditor General granted expanded authority to forward findings directly to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

October 21, Colombo (LNW): President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has called on the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) to develop a comprehensive strategy aimed at expediting the completion of undergraduate degree programmes without compromising academic standards.

The proposed plan is also expected to address the growing backlog of academic work and promote more robust research and development initiatives across the university sector.

The directive was issued during a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (20), where FUTA representatives raised concerns over persistent delays in completing degree courses and highlighted the challenges currently faced by academic staff in the public university system.

These delays, which have become more frequent in recent years, have been attributed to a range of administrative and systemic factors, including limited resources and disruptions to academic calendars.

Dissanayake assured the delegation that the Government stands ready to provide the necessary infrastructure, funding, and institutional support required to put such a plan into action. He emphasised the importance of delivering timely, high-quality education while also enhancing the nation’s capacity for research and innovation.

The discussion also turned to broader structural issues within the higher education sector, including the urgent need to attract and retain qualified academic staff. Both parties acknowledged that the quality of teaching and research is inextricably linked to the well-being and professional development of university academics.

Among those present at the meeting were Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Dr Harini Amarasuriya; Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka; and Labour Minister and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando. The FUTA delegation was led by Chairman Professor P.R. Weeratunga and Secretary Charudaththa Illangasinghe.

October 21, Colombo (LNW): Digital services provided by numerous state institutions in Sri Lanka have returned to normal following a technical failure that disrupted access for over a week.

According to the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), the issues affecting the Lanka Government Cloud (LGC) infrastructure have now been fully addressed, and all systems are functioning reliably.

The LGC, which forms the backbone of the government’s online operations, encountered a significant malfunction that led to interruptions across a wide range of digital platforms. As a result, citizens faced difficulties accessing various public services, including administrative, regulatory, and information portals.

The disruption impacted approximately 34 government departments and institutions, affecting services that are increasingly relied upon for day-to-day transactions.

A spokesperson for the ICTA confirmed today (21) that the necessary technical rectifications had been completed and that the cloud system’s stability had been verified. Measures have been implemented to prevent similar incidents in future, while affected services are being restored in stages to ensure consistency and performance.

Authorities acknowledged the inconvenience caused to the public and have assured that contingency plans are being developed to improve response times and system resilience.

October 21, Colombo (LNW): A newly released government gazette has officially redefined the responsibilities and areas of oversight for multiple ministries.

The changes, which come into immediate effect, were authorised by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, reflecting the outcomes of a recent reshuffle within the Cabinet.

The updated distribution of duties among ministries is expected to address emerging national priorities, optimise coordination between departments, and align governmental operations with the administration’s evolving policy direction.