A robot-assisted operation inside the eye has been performed by University of Oxford surgeons at working John Radcliffe Hospital. The team used the Robotic Retinal Dissection Device (R2D2) developed by Preceyes BV of the Netherlands to peel a membrane from the retina at the back of the right eye of a 70-year old patient.

The robotic system may improve safety and precision of eye surgery. Image source: University of OxfordThe device is designed to improve clinical outcomes by eliminating unwanted tremors in the surgeon’s hand, such as that caused by their pulse. Seven independent computer-controlled motors enable movements and surgical manipulations within the eye. Control is managed with a joystick and touchscreen, and the operating microscope is used to monitor surgical progress. The robotic device inserts surgical tools through a single hole less than 1 mm in diameter, even though the eye may rotate (see video).

The current robotic eye surgery trial will involve 12 patients and is planned to include operations of increasing complexity. The next phase will assess how the robot can place a fine needle under the retina and inject fluid through it. This could lead to use of the robot in retinal gene therapy, a possible treatment for blindness currently being trialed in multiple locations.