PRIMA retinal implant by Science Corporation

Milestones

Next · First paid implants; insurers start covering it

Applied for EU approvalJun 2025Complete.
Main trial results in NEJMOct 2025Complete.
EU approval and launchJul 2026Complete.
First paid implants; insurers start covering itNowCurrent milestone.
Apply for FDA approvalNot yet reached.

Most important updates

22 Jul 2026
22 Jul 2026
5 Mar 2026
20 Oct 2025
21 Oct 2024

Current obstacles

Who pays?Each device may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars; each country must agree to pay for it.
US approvalFDA review isn't done; US availability depends on it.

Physics limits

Pixel size caps sharpnessEach pixel is 100 µm wide, which limits vision to about 20/420 without zoom. Smaller pixels make too little current to reliably trigger retinal cells.
It needs the inner retina to surviveThe chip drives the retina's bipolar cells, which outlive the dead light-sensing cells. In diseases where those inner cells are also lost, there is nothing left to stimulate.
Light safety limits the signalEye-safety rules cap how much infrared light can be beamed onto the retina, which limits the current each pixel can make and so the contrast and brightness of the image.

How it works

3 parts

A light-sensing chip seen under the retina at the back of an eye (an earlier German implant): PRIMA's chip sits in the same spotPhoto: IcannotC · CC0 (opens commons.wikimedia.org)

1. Capture

Camera sees the scene

A camera on the glasses films the scene, and a small computer sharpens and zooms it.

2. Project

Beam it in as infrared

A projector beams the image as flashes of infrared light onto the chip under the retina.

3. Stimulate

Chip wakes the retina

Each pixel turns light into current that stimulates surviving retina cells, which pass the signal to the brain.

Spec sheet

Spec	PRIMA retinal implant
Chip size	2 x 2 mm^R (reported)
Thickness	30 µm^R (reported)
Pixels	378^R (reported)
Pixel size	100 µm^R (reported)
Power	Near-infrared light, photovoltaic^R (reported)
Meaningful acuity gain (12 mo)	~80% of evaluated patients^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Papers & demos

1 item

Oct 2025paper
Subretinal photovoltaic implant to restore vision in geographic atrophy due to AMD (NEJM) (opens doi.org)Main trial results behind its regulatory filings.

Update log

9 updates

Wed 22 Jul

Major: PressRegulatory
Major: PressRegulatory

Thu 5 Mar

Major: PressFunding

Wed 14 Jan

Minor: PressResearch

Mon 20 Oct 2025

Major: PaperResearch

Mon 23 Jun 2025

Minor: BlogRegulatory

Mon 25 Nov 2024

Minor: PressRegulatory

Mon 21 Oct 2024

Major: PressTest

Fri 27 Sep 2024

Minor: BlogOther

About Science Corporation

The team behind PRIMA retinal implant

Science Corporation

PRIMA eye implant, restoring vision

California company founded by Neuralink co-founder Max Hodak. Its PRIMA system puts a 2 mm solar-cell chip under the retina and uses camera glasses to beam images onto it, restoring some central vision in advanced macular degeneration. Approved in the EU in Jul 2026.

Main trial (NEJM, Oct 2025): about 80% of patients saw meaningfully better after 12 months; many could read letters and words.
EU approval (CE mark) in Jul 2026 allows sales in 30 European countries; first paid implants expected in Germany.
Raised $230M in Mar 2026 to launch PRIMA and fund its brain-interface research.

science.xyz (opens science.xyz)Company profile →

Founded: 20215 yrs
Headquarters: United States
Status: Private
Valuation: private
Raised: $230M1 round
Last round: Series C · $230MMar 2026
Works in: NeurotechRestoring sight
Coverage: 1 program · 9 updateslatest 22 Jul 2026checked 25 Sep
Partners: Stanford University (opens stanford.edu)
Suppliers: Pixium Vision (opens science.xyz)
People: Max Hodak (opens en.wikipedia.org)Founder and CEO