The bionic eye team at CERA has developed a next-generation bionic eye implant that gives patients with inherited retinal disease a ‘sense of sight’ – lights and flashes that help them navigate spaces independently. This suprachoroidal retinal prosthesis is now in trial and has been implanted in four patients, who are using the device at home. This is an exciting project and further retinal prosthesis development is ongoing. Working with collaborators at the Bionics Institute, researchers in the bionic eye team are also developing a neuroprotective device aimed at slowing down the progression of retinal disease.

Other key areas of research include vitreoretinal surgical projects and clinical treatment trials for retinal dystrophies and age-related macular degeneration, in collaboration with the Macular Research and Gene Therapy teams. The team is also investigating endophthalmitis, with projects such as the Victorian Endophthalmitis Registry, which looks for trends in disease and aims to improve outcomes from this blinding condition.