Robotic Eye Surgery – Is It a Game Changer?

Written by Dr. David Evans   Last modified on August 6, 2018

I came across an interesting article about a pioneering robot-assisted eye surgery that was performed across the pond recently by a team at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital. Although robot-assisted surgeries are relatively commonplace these days, they have not previously been attempted for complex microsurgery inside the eye.

The patient in question is a 70 year old male who had deteriorating central vision caused by a small membrane (one hundredth of a millimeter thick) growing at the back of his eye. The abnormal growth caused an increase in ocular pressure, which in turn caused a small tear in his retina. Retinal holes and tearing is an extremely serious issue that can eventually lead to full detachment of the retina and permanent blindness. The issue was discovered in July after the patient complained of being unable to read.

Experienced eye surgeons are capable of correcting such an issue by hand, but given the delicate nature of the retina and the tiny amount of space in which to work, it is often very difficult to complete the procedure without resulting in some retinal hemorrhaging. Still, given the alternative of permanent blindness, the benefits of membrane surgery far outweigh the risks.

But the precision offered by a robotic alternative is quite simply unmatched by the human hand and has the potential to offer corrective surgery without the related bleeding.

In August, the patient opted to participate in the breakthrough procedure. A thin needle was inserted into the back of the eye and the membrane removed without any retinal disturbance. The surgery did result in a tiny gas bubble in the patient’s eye, which is currently effecting his near vision. Over time, the bubble will dissipate naturally, resulting in normal vision. The Preceyes surgical robot used for the treatment was developed by a Dutch Company and is controlled via joystick and touch-screen by an eye surgeon.

So where do things go from here? Will all complex eye surgeries now be performed by robots? Not so fast. Granted this surgery was a monumental success and an exciting breakthrough for the future of vision surgery, but it’s a small sample size. And the robot itself is merely a prototype. Far more research is needed before such technology makes its way into your eye doctors’ offices.

If you’re interested in learning more about this robotic eye surgery, check out the video below courtesy of BBC News: