A New Vision: Comparing Electrical Prostheses in the Race to End Blindness

The global burden of blindness affects more than 36 million people worldwide and is projected to rise to 115 million by 2050, largely due to degenerative retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In response, electrical visual prostheses have emerged as a transformative intervention, offering functional sight restoration through neural stimulation. These devices bypass damaged photoreceptors, activate surviving retinal or cortical neurons, and exploit neuroplasticity within the visual system to restore limited perception. This review compares the leading devices as of 2025, evaluating their efficacy across retinal, cortical, and non-invasive platforms.