Bennett wins approval for procedure

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Dr. Michael Bennett, M.D., FACS, founder of The Retina Institute of Hawaii, was named one of 13 surgeons in the United States to conduct the procedure for the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System.

Dr. Michael Bennett, M.D., FACS, founder of The Retina Institute of Hawaii, was named one of 13 surgeons in the United States to conduct the procedure for the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System.

The Argus II, also called the “bionic eye,” is an implantable visual prosthetic listed in 2013 CNN’s Top 10, Time Magazine’s Best Inventions.

The apparatus also is listed in the 2014 Cleveland Clinic’s Top 10 Medical Innovations.

Approved by the FDA in February 2013, ophthalmologists began to implant the Argus II in U.S. patients in late 2013.

Enabling blind individuals to achieve greater independence, the Argus II can help patients see black-and-white images. To date, 74 patients have received the implant.

Retina Institute has recently identified eight qualified patients for the procedure, according to Bennett.