Implant offers hope of vision

Optegra Eye Care in Guildford is set to become the first clinic in Europe to offer a new treatment for severe forms of age-related macular degeneration.

Lipshitz macular implant (LMI) surgery enhances vision by magnifying images entering the eye. Created by Dr Issac Lipshitz, LMI uses an intraocular lens that incorporates two miniature mirrors in a telescopic effect that modifies the reflected image. According to Optegra the larger central image allows the healthy peripheral retina, typically unaffected by macular disease, to pick up some of the image. The patient sees a magnified central image through the mirror telescope, but retains a normal non-magnified image through the periphery of the lens.