Advancements in Eye Implants Are Saving Sight

The device, called Susvimo, is the size of a grain of rice. It was implanted in the upper part of Roth’s left eye, under the eyelid, where it can’t be seen or impede her vision. She received the implant but began her treatment by getting the monthly injections. “After two or three shots, my vision began to improve,” she says. “It went from black to gray to as if there’s a lace curtain in front of my left eye.” ​​

Once her implant was fully operational, she no longer needed injections in her eye — though some people with the implant still get occasional supplemental injections to control blood vessel growth, says Carl D. Regillo, M.D., chief of the retina service at Wills Eye Hospital and principal investigator in Susvimo’s phase 2 and 3 clinical trials. ​​

An eye implant device improved Melinda Roth's vision.

Kielinski Photographers

For Roth, it was a relief. Though the shots didn’t hurt, she says, “nothing can prepare you for the doctor coming at you with a needle in your eye. The hardest part is keeping your hands down, not shooing them away.” Roth still needs regular eye exams and six-month refills of the implant.

The FDA approved the device in October 2021. Research shows it works as well as monthly injections, although it has a higher rate of side effects, including redness, pain and light sensitivity, as well as infection, cataracts and erosion of the surface of the eye. ​​

The real value of the implant is in maintaining steady doses of the anti-VEGF drug. “If there are gaps in treatment, you lose disease control, resulting in permanent vision loss for many of our patients,” Regillo says. “In the real world, patients often can’t get to the office frequently enough to maintain the gains from their early visits. The patient may not be able to drive to the office themselves and may rely on caregivers. It becomes logistically difficult and anxiety-provoking. The shots don’t hurt, but they aren’t pleasant.”