DURHAM, N.C. -

For more than half his life, Larry Hester has been blind.

"It was a rather devastating blow at the age of 33," Hester said of learning he had retinitis pigmentosa. "From that point forward, I resolved that it was not going to be what I don't have, but what I do have. And what I do have is a very strong faith in God."

But with the help of doctors at Duke University Medical Center, Hester partially regained his eyesight in October 2014 with the help of a bionic implant that helps him once again "feel more visually connected," explained Dr. Paul Hahn, an assistant professor of ophthalmology.

The procedure involved implanting a sensor in his retina that communicates wirelessly with a pair a glasses that pick up images with a small camera. When the glasses send the images back to the implant, it stimulates Hester's retina, which transmits information to his brain so that he can perceive patterns of light.

"The surgery was about four hours long and there was a microchip planted in my left eye, along with a ring with electronics on it," Hester explained of the procedure on Sept. 10, 2014. "Oct. 1 was when they actually turned on the device, and that's a pretty special time."

His full vision hasn't been restored, but he can make out the silhouette of most things.

Looking at WNCN's Eileen Park, Hester said, "I've zeroed in and I've scanned -- I see your facial, I know where your face is. I can reach out and touch, and I've never been able to do that before."

Before the implant, Hester said he could "see no light at all."

Hester believes it was the skill of the surgeon and the developers of his bionic eye that gave him new sight. But he credits his faith in God and his Christian beliefs just as much for what he calls "nothing short of a miracle."

Continued here:

Faith aids healing process, Duke doctor says