Key Takeaways

  • ForSight Robotics has now performed fully robotic-assisted cataract surgery in 26 patients using the Jasper Robotic Surgical Platform, with the company reporting no conversions to manual surgery
  • Patients received routine cataract anesthesia consisting of topical anesthesia alone or mild sedation and were discharged the same day, supporting the platform’s compatibility with standard outpatient workflows
  • The first-in-human experience is part of the company’s development program as it advances toward additional clinical studies and regulatory submissions

ForSight Robotics has completed an additional 14 fully robotic-assisted cataract surgeries using its Jasper Robotic Surgical Platform, bringing the company’s first-in-human clinical experience to 26 patients.

According to the company, all 26 procedures were completed robotically without conversion to manual surgery. Patients received standard cataract anesthesia protocols, consisting of either topical anesthesia alone or mild sedation, and were discharged the same day. The latest procedures build on ForSight Robotics’ previously announced first-in-human experience and are intended to evaluate how robotic-assisted cataract surgery can be incorporated into routine clinical workflows.

“Our first clinical milestone established that fully robotic-assisted cataract surgery was possible. This latest clinical experience demonstrates something even more important: that robotic cataract surgery can integrate naturally into the way cataract surgery is performed every day,” said Joseph Nathan, MD, MSc, co-founder and CEO of ForSight Robotics.

The procedures were performed as part of the company’s ongoing first-in-human clinical study by Alexey Rapoport, MD.

Robert T. Ang, MD, senior consultant and head of the Cornea and Refractive Surgery Services at the Asian Eye Institute, is serving as principal investigator. 

“Patients underwent surgery using the same anesthesia approaches we use every day, either topical anesthesia alone or mild sedation, and were discharged the same day following standard postoperative care,” Dr. Ang said. “The robotic platform complemented, rather than disrupted, the normal clinical workflow while providing exceptional precision, stability, and control.”

Jasper is designed to enable a surgeon to perform the complete cataract procedure through telemanipulation. According to ForSight Robotics, the system incorporates bimanual robotic manipulation, high-definition 3-dimensional visualization, real-time eye tracking, motion scaling, tremor elimination, and computer vision technology.

The surgeon remains in control of the platform throughout the procedure, according to the company.

The additional cases represent a step in ForSight Robotics’ development program as it moves toward further clinical studies and regulatory submissions. The company said the results provide evidence that its robotic approach can operate within established cataract surgery practices. ForSight said it is also positioning the platform as a potential foundation for incorporating artificial intelligence-enabled capabilities into ophthalmic surgery.

“We believe robotic platforms will become the foundation for the next generation of intelligent surgery,” Dr. Nathan said. “By integrating seamlessly into today’s clinical practice, we are building the platform that will enable the future evolution of AI-enabled surgical capabilities in the operating room.”