Funding announcement places Victorians closer to receiving first bionic eye

29 Apr 2009

The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of $50 million towards creating Australia’s first bionic eye.

This will help ensure the early development of a bionic eye and allow patients at the Eye and Ear to benefit from this technology when clinical trials take place within two years.

The Eye and Ear is a clinical partner with the Melbourne based Bionic Vision Australia and will be the site of this group’s first implant.

Chief Executive Officer of the Eye and Ear Ann Clark said it is a privilege to be involved in this project and hopefully allow our patient’s access to this groundbreaking technology.

“Should Bionic Vision Australia be successful in gaining a grant, clinical trials will take place at our hospital?”

“Our research partnerships with the Centre for Eye Research Australia and the Bionic Ear Institute, who are part of Bionic Vision Australia, allow the seamless integration of research into clinical care through our surgeons who are part of the partnership. This in turn means our patients have access to new ground breaking treatments.”

“Our hearing impaired patients have had the opportunity of having their hearing restored through the bionic ear , which was developed at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, and now we hope to do the same for our vision impaired patients through the bionic eye.”

It is hoped the bionic eye will benefit people with conditions like Retinitis Pigmentosa and Age Related Macular Degeneration – one of the leading causes of vision impairment.

Top