‘Bionic’ eye implant helps British man regain sight

[Hush]

‘Bionic’ eye implant helps British man regain sight
Technology similar to chips in cell phone cameras helps patients see light and shapes after years of total blindness

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/h ... z1tpMZPOfe

[Crosshair]

Wasn't this tested in the US years ago, but the FDA refused to approve it so they had to go overseas?

[doubloon]

Tested in the early 2000s on non-humans I think, maybe earlier. A lot of this stuff has been around since the time of the space program but still isn't in the mainstream.

It's typical for stuff like this to be in trials overseas before it's approved by the FDA. In a lot of cases it doesn't matter because it's either cost prohibitive or not an approved insurance procedure.

I'm sure the insurance companies see the cost of treating a botched retinal implant as a huge financial risk that far outweighs the long term medical costs of living with blindness.

[gunningbadger]

I'm in my last year of medical school and this is the kind of thing that I suspect will be available only if you can pay out of pocket for it. I think the direction that we're headed with a single payer system will see the growth of spa type medical treatment. i.e. you go to a private practice in this country or a friendly island country that U.S. docs have established a practice in and pay out of pocket for services either not covered by the piss poor coverage that is social medicine or services/procedures that are available but have an incredible wait.