A Level of Precision Impossible to Achieve by Hand

One of the main advantages of robotics is its ability to perform extremely fine movements. While the human hand generally achieves a precision of around 30 microns, robotic systems can operate with an accuracy of as little as 5 microns. This difference is crucial when working on particularly delicate structures within the eye.

By eliminating physiological micro-tremors and controlling each movement with exceptional stability, robotic systems reduce the risk of error and improve the reproducibility of surgical procedures.

Intelligent Assistance for the Surgeon

Contrary to a common misconception, the robot does not replace the surgeon. Instead, it acts as a highly sophisticated assistance platform. Seated at a console equipped with high-definition 3D visualisation, the specialist controls micro-instruments or the laser with greater precision than could be achieved manually.

The integrated systems also analyse data in real time, allowing movements to be adapted to the individual characteristics of each patient and further enhancing the safety of the procedure.

Cataract surgery is entering a new era in
which precision is now measured in
microns.

A Faster and More Precise Procedure

During robot-assisted or laser-assisted cataract surgery, several stages of the procedure can be automated with a high degree of accuracy.

The system first creates micro-incisions in the cornea and performs precise cuts in the lens using an ultra-fast laser. The clouded lens is then fragmented, or even liquefied depending on the technology used, before being removed by suction. Finally, the surgeon implants an artificial intraocular lens designed to restore the patient’s vision.

Thanks to this partial automation, the procedure often takes less than ten minutes and, in many cases, enables particularly rapid visual recovery.

A Major Advancement in Ophthalmic Surgery

The integration of robotics into cataract surgery perfectly illustrates the convergence of artificial intelligence, medical robotics and high-precision imaging. Although these technologies are still being introduced across many healthcare facilities, they are paving the way for a new generation of ophthalmic surgery that is safer, more reproducible and increasingly personalised.

A Vast Market Driving Innovation

Cataract surgery is currently the most commonly performed surgical procedure in the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cataracts affect more than 94 million people and remain the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide.

Each year, more than 26 to 30 million cataract procedures are performed, and this figure is expected to rise significantly as the global population ages. Despite these considerable volumes, access to care remains highly unequal.

The WHO estimates that one in two people requiring cataract surgery still does not have access to the procedure. Disparities are particularly severe in sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly 75% of patients requiring surgery do not receive it.

Cataract surgery perfectly illustrates the new generation of medical robotics: technology designed not to replace the surgeon, but to make every movement more precise, stable and reproducible. — Robot Magazine

In response to this growing demand, improving the productivity of operating theatres has become a major priority. Robotic platforms and new-generation lasers are specifically designed to standardise surgical procedures, reduce variability between surgeons, shorten operating times—often to between 10 and 15 minutes per eye—and improve the quality of clinical outcomes.

For medical robotics manufacturers, ophthalmology therefore represents a strategic market combining extremely high procedure volumes, exceptional precision requirements and strong potential for technological innovation. (World Health Organization)

As these platforms become more mature and accessible, they could permanently transform the treatment of millions of cataract patients around the world.

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