Shares of Second Sight Medical Products Inc EYES 15.11% surged more than 30 percent on Wednesday after the company announced successful implants of its Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System in France.

Argus II is the first approved retinal prosthesis system in the world. The system works to restore sight to patients who have lost their vision due to retinal pigmentosa (RP), a rare hereditary disease.

Last year, Argus II became the first medical device to become the recipient of Forfait Innovation, a French program that covers the cost of implantation and hospital fees for patients receiving the implants. According to Second Sight’s press release, 36 French patients stand to benefit from the devise and the Forfait Innovation program.

There are an estimated 1.2 million people worldwide suffering from RP. The prosthesis is approved in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Saudi Arabia, and Second Sight is currently in the process of testing improved software for the device.

Stock Plays

After the big pop on Wednesday, shares of Second Sight are now trading more than 60 percent above the company’s December 2014 IPO price.

Investors are likely watching similar stocks for reaction to the Second Sight news.

• Synergenetics USA Inc SURG 1.12%, maker of ophthalmology and neurosurgery equipment, was up 1.8 percent on Wednesday.
• STAAR Surgical Company STAA 9.08%, which sells implantable eye lenses, was up about 4.3 percent.
• Orthotic device maker Hanger Inc HGR 2.17% was up 2 percent.
• Opthalmic device company TearLab Corp TEAR 1.13% was up about 1.5 percent.
• Escalon Medical Corp. ESMC 4.62%, developer and manufacturer of ophthalmic devices and pharmaceuticals, was trading down nearly 9 percent.

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