Chinese researchers develop autonomous eye surgery robot

(Web Desk) - Chinese researchers have developed an autonomous robotic system capable of performing delicate eye injections with unprecedented precision, potentially transforming the treatment of retinal diseases.

Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that the system, created by a team from the Institute of Automation at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully performed subretinal and intravascular injections in animal tests with a 100% success rate, according to a study recently published in Science Robotics.

Eye surgery—especially procedures involving the retina—is highly challenging due to the organ’s tiny, soft structures.

The new robot uses advanced algorithms for 3D spatial perception, precise positioning across scales, and trajectory control to guide its robotic arm.

In experiments using eyeball phantoms, ex vivo porcine eyes, and in vivo animal eyes, the autonomous system reduced average positioning errors by nearly 80% compared to manual surgery and by about 55% compared to surgeon-controlled robotic procedures.

These results demonstrate the clinical feasibility of an autonomous intraocular microsurgical robot and its ability to improve injection precision, safety, and consistency.

According to the researchers, such a system could also shorten training periods for surgeons, enhance the consistency and safety of procedures, and enable complex eye operations in remote or extreme environments where specialist surgeons are unavailable.