The three patients trialling early prototype devices have been able to locate shapes on a screen after the device's camera was connected with a stimulator to produce an image using 20 electrodes.

Previously, Dianne Ashworth, Murray Rowland and Maurice Skehan had seen only flashes or spots of light as each of the 20 electrodes in their 24-electrode bionic eye were activated for testing.

Bionics Institute researcher Matt Petoe said the results demonstrated the patients had gone from being blind to having low vision.

''It's not just a toy that they have got on their head; they are actually proving, clinically, that they can see what's in front of them,'' Dr Petoe said. ''They are passing tests for functional vision.''

The milestone means patients in the trial have a working system that can convert real-world images into bionic vision, giving hope to millions of blind and vision-impaired people.

Mr Rowland, 51, has been blind since his late teens because of the genetic, degenerative eye condition retinitis pigmentosa, which means he can perceive only a degree of light and dark.

''I'm always going to need a guide dog or white cane but the electrodes are going to help me find doors and ways of getting around,'' he said. ''It will help by letting off signals so I know whether to move left or right of an obstacle.''

The bionic eye works differently for every patient, so the Bionic Vision Australia research team had to tailor it for each individual. The differences are due to the length of time a patient has been blind, how much neural tissue is left and the eye's health.

Mr Rowland described seeing flashes of lightning in a storm; Dr Ashworth said she saw blob-like shapes. ''It's very exciting to be a part of this,'' said Dr Ashworth, who has been blind for 20 years.

''Sometimes when I see those things, I just smile and I feel warm. I can't help it.''

Bionics Institute deputy director Peter Blamey said it was thrilling to see patients recognising their own hand for the first time since losing their sight.

''One of the great things about these three patients is that all of them are seeing things and starting to make use of that information to perform tasks,'' he said.

All three patients have retinitis pigmentosa and have been blind for 10 or more years.

Dr Petoe said this meant they had to be trained to rely on sight again and learn how to interpret the information the electrodes were producing. They also had to relearn skills like hand-eye co-ordination.