A blind woman fitted with a ‘bionic eye’ has spoken of her joy after she was able to tell the time for the first time in more than five years.

The first clinical trials of an electronic eye implant designed to restore the sight of blind people have proved successful and “exceeded expectations”, scientists said yesterday.

Recruitment has begun for the first UK trial of a bionic eye which can restore sight to blind people.

A GROUND-BREAKING retinal implant has allowed three blind patients to see shapes and objects for the first time since they lost their sight to an inherited disease.