Retinal surgery, one of the most intricate and high-stakes medical procedures, may soon see a revolutionary advancement thanks to a new robotic system developed at the University of Utah in the US.
Designed to enhance surgical precision beyond human capability, this experimental technology could pave the way for safer, more effective treatments for vision-threatening conditions.
Even the steadiest hands can experience involuntary tremors, and every movement is critical when working on the retina – a layer of cells less than a millimetre thick.
Patient-related factors such as breathing, involuntary muscle movements and snoring further complicate eye surgeries.
This new robotic system, developed through a collaboration between the John A. Moran Eye Centre and the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering, aims to overcome these challenges by delivering unmatched stability and precision.
At the core of this system is a robot able to perform movements as small as one micrometre.
Mounted securely to the patient’s head with a specially designed helmet, the device compensates for all patient movements, ensuring the eye remains as still as possible during surgery.
Meanwhile, a handheld robotic device – a haptic interface – translates the surgeon’s movements into precise, scaled-down motions, effectively neutralising hand tremors.
This novel technology is particularly promising for advanced retinal procedures, such as delivering gene therapies for inherited retinal diseases.
These therapies require injections into the subretinal space – the minuscule area between two layers of delicate eye cells. The precision required is extraordinary, and the new robotic system could make procedures safer and more effective.
The University of Utah team recently tested its robotic system on enucleated pig eyes, and the results were published in Science Robotics.
Professor Jake Abbott from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and retinal specialist Dr Paul S. Bernstein from the Moran Eye Centre led the research funded by the National Institutes of Health. Their study demonstrated that the robotic system significantly improved the success rate of subretinal injections while reducing complications.
To further evaluate its capabilities, researchers conducted a unique test involving a human volunteer wearing special goggles that positioned an animal eye in front of their own. This innovative approach enabled the team to analyse the robot’s ability to compensate for head movements and enhance its control over the surgical environment.
Dr Eileen Hwang, a co-author and retinal surgeon at the Moran Eye Centre, said that the head-mounted design may allow subretinal injections under IV sedation rather than general anaesthesia. This would mean faster recovery times and safer procedures for certain patients.
This latest development could redefine retinal surgery, improving outcomes for patients worldwide. You can watch the technology in action here.
