State of the Art in Robot-Assisted Eye Surgery

Despite the advantages that robot-assisted surgery can offer to patient care, its use in ophthalmic surgery has not yet progressed to the extent seen in other fields. As such, its use remains limited to research environments, both basic and clinical. The technical specifications for such ophthalmic surgical robots are highly challenging, but rapid progress has been made in recent years, and recent developments in this field ensure that the use of this technology in operating theatres will soon be a real possibility. Fully automated ocular microsurgery, carried out by a robot under the supervision of a surgeon, is likely to become our new reality. This review discusses the use of robot-assisted ophthalmic surgery, the recent progress in the field, and the necessary future developments which must occur before its use in operating theatres becomes routine.