Robots Just Performed Cataract Surgery for the First Time—Here's Why That Matters

Surgeons at UCLA have achieved a medical milestone by completing the world's first robotic-assisted cataract surgeries on human patients. The breakthrough procedure, performed on 10 patients with no adverse events, represents a major leap forward in precision eye surgery that could transform one of the most commonly performed operations globally.

Dr. Uday Devgan and Dr. David Lozano Giral at UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute used Horizon Surgical Systems' Polaris robotic platform to perform these groundbreaking procedures. Each patient received a standard cataract operation, but with robotic precision that operates at the micron level—far beyond what human hands can achieve alone.

How Does Robotic Cataract Surgery Actually Work?

The robotic system allows surgeons to operate from a specialized cockpit in the operating room, using an input device that provides real-time guidance and tactile feedback while viewing a 3D monitor. The system captures detailed images of the eye's anatomy through multimodal imaging, giving surgeons an enhanced view of structures that are measured in mere microns.

Robotic arms positioned near the patient's head execute the delicate work using interchangeable microsurgical tools. The process involves making small corneal incisions, removing the clouded lens, and then implanting a clear artificial replacement to restore 20/20 vision. The team reported achieving tool-tip accuracy of 0.053 millimeters, demonstrating remarkable precision for these delicate intraocular procedures.

Why Is This Such a Big Deal for Eye Care?

Cataracts affect nearly 94 million people worldwide and remain the leading cause of global blindness. While cataract surgery is already routine—with more than 26 million procedures performed annually worldwide and over 4 million in the United States alone—it demands exceptional precision as surgeons navigate transparent tissues and anatomical structures.

The technology addresses several key challenges in traditional cataract surgery:

• Precision Enhancement: The robotic system provides micron-level accuracy that surpasses human hand steadiness, crucial when working with delicate eye structures
• Real-Time Guidance: Surgeons receive augmented visual feedback and tactile paddles that help guide every movement during the procedure
• Consistent Outcomes: The robotic platform could potentially reduce variability between procedures and improve overall success rates

"From a disciplinary perspective, medicine is a problem-rich environment, while engineering is a solution-rich one," said Jacob Rosen, one of Horizon's co-founders. "Horizon is the result of the privilege of operating within both sides of these duos."

The breakthrough stems from more than a decade of collaboration between engineers at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and physicians at the UCLA Stein Eye Institute, supported by multiple National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards. Horizon was formally co-founded in 2021 by four current and former UCLA faculty members.

What Happens Next for Robotic Eye Surgery?

While access to robotic-assisted cataract surgery will remain limited as the technology develops, this innovation could eventually transform the field by providing more precise tools and better outcomes for patients. With the first clinical study complete, Horizon plans to refine the Polaris system further and pursue additional trials and regulatory pathways toward broader adoption of robotic-assisted ophthalmic surgery.

The success of this first-in-human study marks a significant step toward making robotic precision available for one of the world's most common surgical procedures, potentially improving outcomes for millions of patients who undergo cataract surgery each year.