SYLMAR, Calif.—Health Canada has approved the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System to treat individuals with severe to profound outer retinal degeneration, according to a statement released Jan. 12, 2015, from its developer, Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYES), a developer, manufacturer and marketer of implantable visual prosthetics to restore some functional vision to blind patients.

Already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as reported by VMail Feb. 18, 2013, the Argus II is the only retinal prosthesis approved by both countries’ federal health administrations, according to the statement. It has already been implanted in more than 100 individuals worldwide.

The system induces visual perception in blind individuals by providing electrical pulses to stimulate the retina’s remaining cells, resulting in a perception of light patterns in the brain. It can offer life-changing visual capabilities to those with little or no remaining functional vision. The Argus II implant can positively impact a blind person’s ability to conduct routine daily activities, such as recognizing shapes or large objects, locating people, identifying the location of doorways, and following lines or edges. Ultimately, this is meant to allow Argus II users to live their daily lives with more confidence.

“This regulatory approval and the first implants of the Argus II in Canada are tremendous milestones, not only for Second Sight, but also for those affected by outer retinal degenerations in Canada,” said Robert Greenberg, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Second Sight. “Leveraging more than 20 years of research and development, supported by strong intellectual property, and coming on the heels of our approval in the U.S., today’s approval enables us to expand our international network of Centers of Excellence, which offer the Argus II retinal implant, into additional Canadian provinces beyond Ontario.”

Second Sight is currently recruiting additional centers in major metropolitan areas and plans to apply for reimbursement in the provinces where they are established.