Cataracts, which cloud the natural lens of the eye, affect 94 million people worldwide and remain the leading cause of blindness. More than 26 million cataract removal surgeries are performed annually. This procedure requires exceptional precision, as surgeons work with microns of transparent tissue and delicate anatomical structures.
The Polaris surgical robotic system was developed at the University of California, Los Angeles, and commercialized by Horizon Surgical Systems. In the first study, 10 patients underwent robotic cataract removal without complications. The surgeries were performed by Drs. Uday Devgan and David Lozano Hiral at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA.
The surgeons controlled the robot from a cabin using a tactile input device, real-time image magnification, and data overlay on a 3D monitor with multimodal visualization. The robotic arms made corneal incisions and removed the clouded lens using interchangeable microinstruments. A transparent artificial lens was then implanted, restoring vision.
The Polaris system demonstrates impressive precision. A preliminary report indicates instrument tip deviation of only 0.053 mm. This paves the way for the safe performance of consecutive intraocular procedures.
Horizon was founded in 2021 by UCLA faculty and alumni. Polaris was the result of a decade-long collaboration between engineers and ophthalmologists, supported in part by the National Institutes of Health.
Following completion of the initial clinical study, Horizon will continue to refine Polaris, conduct additional testing, and navigate regulatory processes to expand the adoption of robotic-assisted ophthalmic surgery.
