Video: Blind man sees his wife for the first time in a decade

It’s been ten years since Allen Zderad has seen his wife. Even though they were never apart.

68-year old Zderad has been blind for a decade but gets to see his wife thanks to modern technology.

Zderad suffers from a degenerative disease called retinitis pigmentosa, which damages the photoreceptor of the retina. But with a new device - the first test of which is captured in this video - he catches a blurry glimpse of his wife for the first time since losing his sight.

The image produced is, in the words of "crude" - but that doesn't make it any less emotional for him

From the Mayo Clinic:

"The first indication that the device worked: He lunged out to grab his wife's hands as she sat before him. The both broke into tears."

The technology is in its early days, and as such, the image is simply an outline or a silhouette - but it works.

Developed by the Mayo Clinic, the special glasses he wears bypass his retina entirely, passing light to his optic nerve. Part of the device, therefore, lies inside his eye, surgically implanted - and is fed light information by a camera in the centre of the prosthetic.

For those interested in the science, the Mayo Clinic also has an explanatory video from Dr Raymond Iezzi, one of the creators of the bionic eye device.

The device itself is called the Second Sight Argus II, and is the result of decades of research and hundreds of millions in funding.

Zderad's grandson has an early stage of the same condition, and is also a patient of Dr Iezzi.

And while Zderad will not be able to make out facial details, he says he has no problems recognising his wife:

"It's easy," he says.

"She's the most beautiful one in the room."

Via Laughing Squid and Mayo Clinic.

H/T: BreakingNews.ie

READ MORE: Oscars 2015 briefing: Don't worry, we have you covered