Second Sight receives FDA approval for Argus II system

Sylmar, CA-Second Sight Medical Products Inc. has received FDA approval for its Argus II retinal prosthesis system to treat individuals with late stage retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

FDA approval came following more than 20 years of work in the field, two clinical trials, more than $100M in public investment by the National Eye Institute, the Department of Energy, and the National Science Foundation, and an additional $100M in private investments.

Argus II is an implanted device intended to provide electrical stimulation of the retina to induce visual perception in patients blinded from retinitis pigmentosa. Although the resulting vision is not the same as when these patients had normal vision, investigators involved in the clinical trial of the Argus II are enthusiastic about the approval.