Technology has been reimagining healthcare approaches since the 1960s, with the early use of computers to manage healthcare information and standardize record-keeping. Since then, it has travelled a long distance and is continually driving unparalleled changes in almost all aspects of care delivery, from diagnosis to surgeries. Surgical robots are one such tech-driven boon that has revolutionized the way surgeons conduct surgeries. With the advent of technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and machine learning, care delivery has undergone a radical transformation in diagnosis, patient monitoring, surgeries, and other areas of healthcare.
Cataract surgery is one of the most common eye surgeries in which the natural lens of the eye that has developed a cataract is removed or, in most cases, replaced with an artificial lens. It is a simple procedure, typically performed on an outpatient basis. As robotics has paved its way into surgical procedures, it is now being used in the surgery of patients with cataracts.
This article sheds light on robotics technology and its rapid integration into the surgical procedures of healthcare organizations, with a special focus on cataract surgeries. Learn how this technology is transforming healthcare delivery.
What is Robotics Technology?
Robotics is a discipline of computer science and engineering that encompasses conception, design, operation, manufacturing, and application of robots. Robots either replicate or substitute humans in particular tasks. They are designed to reduce the burden of manual tasks from human shoulders. It is a combination of science, engineering, and technology that uses machines programmed to perform some complex tasks that are difficult to conduct manually.
Use of Robotics in Healthcare
According to the World Economic Forum, the global medical robotics market is forecasted to grow from $16.6 billion in 2023 to $63.8 billion by 2032. These programmable machines are revolutionizing many industries, including healthcare. Truly speaking, healthcare has been a torch-bearer in this technological integration by using various forms of robotics. Another Statista study has shown that the global medical service robotics industry generated a revenue of $11.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow and reach $21 billion by 2028.
(Source: Statista, 2024)
Reviewing these statistics, we can recognize the transforming power of robotics in medical services. Below are some ways in which robotics is transforming the healthcare industry-
Escalating Diagnoses
Robotics is used to reduce patient waiting times and also the burden on doctors and care providers. It has now sped up diagnostic procedures to diagnose life-threatening diseases like lung cancer. Intuitive, a US-based company, has developed ‘Ion,’ an innovative robotic-assisted platform that enables minimally invasive bronchosopies to detect early-stage lung cancer.
Reimagining Mobility
Apart from diagnosis, robotics is helping individuals with pre-existing conditions improve their quality of life. Devices, like an exoskeleton, muscle armour, and robotic limbs, are some of the pioneering inventions done using robotics technology to help patients regain their mobility. Kevin Piette, who was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident over a decade before, used an exoskeleton to walk through the streets of France as he carried the Olympic flame.
Precise Surgeries
Robotics has changed the surgical procedure for many health conditions. With the help of systems such as Intuitive’s da Vinci and Stryker’s Mako, doctors are conducting invasive surgeries and joint replacements. For example, a seven-year-old boy in the UK has been treated for a kidney condition using the “Versius Surgical Robotic System,” which gave him a quicker recovery time and less post-operative pain.
After-Care with Robots
This advanced technology is being applied to patient after-care. Australian Institute of Technology (AIT) partners with the National Robotarium to develop socially assistive robots to assist stroke and brain injury survivors through upper limb rehabilitation. In this mechanism, the robot communicates with the patient through a headset, which detects neural activity. Using these signals, the robot deciphers the movement patients are trying to complete and gives them a verbal motivation and demonstrates the move visually to help them complete it.
Improved Training
The power of robotics extends beyond patient care. This technology is now being used to train new medical staff. The humanoid robot named RIA, developed by the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, can engage students in role-playing training with the robot, which can pretend to have several medical issues. RIA leverages artificial intelligence to deliver human-like reactions, helping doctors get ready for real-life patient interactions.
Robotics and Telemedicine
Robotics is also being used in telemedicine to ensure remote patient care. A swallowable and remotely-controlled robot has been developed to help doctors perform remote endoscopies. Endiatx has developed the PillBot to help patients interact with gastroenterologists from their home.
With this article, we will now narrow down our discussion to the role of robotics in cataract surgery and to what extent this technology is being applied to this surgical procedure.
Robotics in Cataract Surgery: A Revolution
In a robotics-assisted cataract surgery, a robotic surgery machine is used to conduct the entire procedure of lens removal or replacement. This has the potential to deliver better surgical outcomes, improving the performance of surgeons, and making way for new surgical experiments.
What is Cataract Surgery?
An ophthalmologist or an eye specialist performs cataract surgery. This surgery is carried out when the cataract affects either one of the two eyes or both. A cataract causes the eye lens to become cloudy without any existing eye condition and can eventually affect vision. Patients do not have to stay in the hospital after this surgery, as it is a safe and common procedure. According to a 2024 report of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), over half of all Americans aged 80 or older either have cataracts or have had surgery to get rid of them.
As it causes blurry vision and heightens the glare from lights, patients find it hard to do their regular activities. This is when an ophthalmologist recommends cataract surgery. Risk or complications in cataract surgery are unlikely if you do not have cataract along with another eye disease or any serious medical condition. This may include glaucoma, macular degeneration, and others.
Robotic-Assisted Cataract Surgery: A Groundbreaking Approach
A cataract surgery assisted by robotics can deliver multiple advantages, from better patient outcomes to lower surgery costs. Jean-Pierre Hubschman, MD, Professor in Ophthalmology, has mentioned that although there is perfect visualisation and high manoeuvrability in this surgery with all the technology in our hands, robotics can offer an added advantage in addressing multiple existing challenges and improving every surgical step.
In his words, “Robotics-assisted cataract surgery also provides a solution for overcoming the current and increasing gap in supply and demand for cataract surgery services, as well as democratise superior outcomes by negating the impact of differences in surgeon skill sets.”
As the co-founder of Horizon Surgical Systems in Los Angeles, Jean-Pierre Hubschman has developed an AI-enabled, fully-integrated, image-guided microsurgery platform, Polaris, for cataract surgery. It has shown the capability for performing viscoelastic injection, cornea incision, and IOL implantation. According to Dr. Hubschman, this platform is a combination of microsurgical robotic arms (allowing precise and accurate manipulations); image guidance combined with optical coherence tomography, a digital microscope, and other anatomy reconstructing sensors; ML that allows real-time tissue differentiation; and automation for increased patient throughput.
So, next time you look for precision in surgically removing your cataract, all you need to do is search for robotics-powered cataract surgery near me and contact Dr. Hubschman to get your cataract removed surgically.
Will Robotics Outperform Human Surgeons?
The robotics technology is seen as overcoming human limitations in visualizing microanatomy and depth perception. Leveraging its ability to simultaneously process input from multimodal imaging, robotics in cataract surgery can provide better insight into the entire anatomy.
“With its level of visualisation and precision, we believe this technology can drastically reduce the rate of posterior capsule rupture, allow for much better cleaning of the capsular bag, and achieve better refractive outcomes through a more accurate selection and positioning of the IOL,” said Dr. Hubschman.
Even though robotics is capable of performing each step autonomously, it cannot perform without human supervision. The technology will not replace the surgeons but will help them achieve better patient outcomes in cataract surgery.
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