Implants are set to get far more common, with the development of an implantable ring that combats the effects of blurriness in ageing eyes. The device is currently being reviewed for clinical use in the US after a series of successful global trials, and is already for sale in some parts of Asia, Europe and South America.
Known as the KAMRA inlay, the device is designed to treat a condition known as presbyopia, which causes near-vision blurriness as the eyes age and become less flexible. More than a billion people worldwide are affected by presbyopia, so the implant, which has been found to help 83% of sufferers, could become incredibly common.
The inlay is a doughnut-shaped ring that is implanted into the cornea at the front of the eye. At only 3.8mm in diameter with a 1.6mm hole in the middle, the device cannot be felt by the wearer once it is implanted. It works similarly to a camera aperture, by adjusting the depth of field to respond to the distance the wearer is focusing on. The implantation procedure is also very quick, taking around 10 minutes with a local anaesthetic.