Robotic and medical experts in the US have collaborated to develop a head-mounted robotic device designed for ultra-precise eye surgery.
Retinal procedures require operating on cellular layers less than a millimetre thick while compensating for patient breathing, snoring, involuntary eye movements – and the surgeon’s own hand tremors.
A team from the John A Moran Eye Centre and the University of Utah’s Magnetic & Medical Robotics Laboratory has developed a novel device that could revolutionise retinal surgery by improving precision and safety.
Paul S Bernstein, a retinal specialist and researcher, said: ‘Robotic surgery is the future, enabling us to exceed the limits of human capability.’
Many emerging therapies, including gene therapy for retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, require subretinal injections into a minuscule space at the back of the eye.
Typically, patients remain under sedation rather than general anaesthesia, which increases the risk of movement-related complications.
The novel, non-invasive device comprises a patient’s helmet with a small robot mounted directly onto it. This robot moves in sync with the patient’s head, stabilising the surgical field.
The surgeon controls the robot using a joystick interface that filters out hand tremors, greatly enhancing precision.
Research shows the device effectively reduces complications from patient movement.
Jake Abbott, the director of the robotics lab, said: ‘We design our robots as tools to enhance a surgeon’s skills.’
To test the device, researchers attached enucleated pig eyes to human volunteers with swimming goggles, simulating real-world surgical conditions.
This method allowed evaluation of the robot’s ability to counteract head motion and correct for hand tremors.
According to Nick Posselli, a mechanical engineering graduate student who has contributed to the project for the past seven years, patient motion has largely been overlooked in previous robotic surgery research.
By lowering technical barriers, the device could broaden the pool of surgeons able to perform subretinal injections.
Retinal surgery is highly intricate and requires years to master. Bernstein explained that robotic assistance can improve safety and efficiency, especially for early-career surgeons.
The development of this device underscores the value of interdisciplinary collaboration between engineers and ophthalmic surgeons. Researchers plan to publish additional findings soon and prepare for the next phase: clinical trials in human patients. The goal is to refine this system for real-world surgical application.
As treatments for vision disorders improve, equipping surgeons with precision-enhancing tools is essential.
‘We must equip surgeons with the capabilities to match the pace of innovation,’ Abbott said.
Published in Science Robotics, the study highlights how the head-mounted system exhibited superior accuracy and safety in subretinal injections when compared to manual techniques.
Co-author Eileen Hwang, a retinal surgeon at the Moran Eye Centre, added: ‘The unique head-mounting feature may facilitate subretinal injections under IV sedation rather than general anaesthesia. IV sedation enables quicker recovery and is a safer alternative for certain patients. Robotic assistance may also offer more precise and reproducible gene therapy, leading to safer and more effective treatments.’
Credit: University of Utah
