University of Utah Researchers Develop Precision Robot for Retinal Surgery

A new study published in Science Robotics explores a robotic surgical device designed to enhance precision and stability during eye procedures.

Performing surgery on the retina—one of the smallest and most delicate parts of the human body—requires extraordinary precision. Even the most skilled surgeons must account for patient movements, including breathing, snoring, and involuntary eye shifts, while also managing their own natural hand tremors. Working on a layer of cells less than a millimeter thick presents immense challenges.

To address these complexities, researchers at the University of Utah’s John A. Moran Eye Center and the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering have developed a robotic surgical device designed to enhance precision and stability during eye procedures.

The robot, capable of movements as small as one micrometer—smaller than a single human cell—is mounted directly onto the patient’s head using a helmet. This setup compensates for both subtle and significant head movements, ensuring that the eye remains as still as possible from the robot’s perspective. Additionally, a handheld haptic interface allows the surgeon’s movements to be scaled down to the tiny surgical site, effectively counteracting hand tremors.

Although still in testing, the device holds promise for improving patient outcomes and enabling advanced procedures, such as delivering gene therapies for inherited retinal diseases. The research team successfully tested the robot using enucleated pig eyes, publishing their findings in Science Robotics. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, was led by Jake Abbott, a professor in the University of Utah’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Paul S. Bernstein, a retinal specialist at the Moran Eye Center.

The retina contains the light-sensitive rod and cone cells essential for vision. Several inherited disorders cause these cells to form incorrectly, leading to varying degrees of visual impairment. Emerging gene therapies could potentially restore function, but administering these treatments requires extreme precision.

Treatments for vision disorders are rapidly advancing. We need to give surgeons better ability to keep up with them.

Jake Abbott, Study Lead and Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah

For example, the first gene therapy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for an inherited retinal disease requires an injection into the subretinal space, located between the retina and the retinal pigment epithelium. This target area is incredibly small—less than a millimeter thick—making precise drug delivery difficult, particularly when factoring in patient and surgeon movements.

Since the device is not yet approved for human use, researchers conducted tests using a human volunteer outfitted with special goggles. These goggles positioned an animal eye in front of the volunteer’s own eye, allowing the team to evaluate the robot’s ability to compensate for head movement and stabilize hand motions without posing any risk to the volunteer.

The study found that surgeons achieved higher success rates in subretinal injections when using the robotic system, while also minimizing complications.

Co-author Eileen Hwang, a retinal surgeon at the Moran Eye Center, emphasized the potential impact of this technology on patient care.

The unique feature of this robot, head mounting, may make it possible for patients to have subretinal injections under intravenous (IV) sedation, rather than general anesthesia. IV sedation allows for faster recovery and is safer in some patients. Robots may also allow for more precise delivery of gene therapy medication compared to manual injections for more reproducible, safer treatments.

Eileen Hwang, Study Co-Author and Retinal Surgeon, Moran Eye Center

As this technology moves from the lab to clinical practice, it highlights the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing medical innovation.

These collaborations are just wonderful at the University of Utah. When I have ideas, the engineers, the chemists, the physics, are just a few blocks away.

Paul S. Bernstein, Study Lead and Retinal Specialist, Moran Eye Center

Video Credit: University of Utah

Journal Reference:

Posselli, R, N., et al. (2025) Head-mounted surgical robots are an enabling technology for subretinal injections. Science Robotics. doi/10.1126/scirobotics.adp7700