Doctors have managed to successfully implant a bionic device into a woman's eye. This medical breakthrough in Australia is claimed to be the first in the world, allowing the woman to see.

The recipient of the bionic eye is Dianne Ashworth, who suffers from a genetic condition called retinitis pigmentosa, making her severely blind. The surgery to fit the bionic eye was carried out in May at the Royal Victorian and Ear Hospital. After she recovered from eye surgery, the bionic device was finally switched on in July.

The hospital released a statement, which stated the woman as saying "I didn't know what to expect, but all of a sudden I could see a little flash. It was amazing."

The device, which is still a prototype, is a retinal implant that  has 24 electrodes. It is connected from the back of the eye to the ear by a small wire. The electrodes are stimulated by researchers who then study and test flashes of light.

Dr. Penny Allen, who led the surgery, told Reuters: "The device electrically stimulates the retina. Electrical impulses are passed through the device, which then stimulate the retina. Those impulses then pass back to the brain (creating the image)." She continued: "What we're going to be doing is restoring a type of vision that is probably going to be black and white, but what we're hoping to do for these patients who are severely visually impaired is to give them mobility,"

Professor Rob Shepherd, director of the Bionics Intitute, said in the statement: "We are working with Ms Ashworth to determine exactly what she sees each time the retina is stimulated using a purpose built laboratory at the Bionics Institute. The team is looking for consistency of shapes, brightness, size and location of flashes to determine how the brain interprets this information."

Ashworth is only one of three patients to have ever tested the implant. The other two patients are reportedly still recovery from surgery and will have their bionic devices switched on shortly.