The historic procedure took place at the Asian Eye Institute in Manila, performed by Dr. Alexey Rapoport with Dr. Robert Edward T. Ang serving as principal investigator. The team utilized ForSight Robotics’ proprietary JASPER platform – a system previously developed under the working title ORYOM.
Until now, the use of robotics in eye surgery has been strictly limited. Machines were only capable of performing isolated, partial tasks, and the entire procedure required the patient to be under general anesthesia. The implementation of the new Israeli platform marks the first time a surgery was completed from start to finish in a manner consistent with modern clinical standards – using only local anesthesia.
The system is designed to assist the surgeon at every stage of the operation, offering advanced imaging and precision motion scaling that directly enhances patient safety. Simultaneously, the device addresses a significant occupational hazard for doctors. Ophthalmic microsurgeons perform thousands of procedures annually in forced, uncomfortable positions, often leading to chronic musculoskeletal disorders. By having the machine take on the physical burden of the surgery, the technology protects surgeons’ health and extends their professional careers.
Demographic data suggests that over 600 million people worldwide require cataract surgery, yet only about 30 million procedures are performed each year. This massive gap is primarily due to a physical shortage of highly trained personnel. Automation has the potential to democratize access to sight-saving operations, particularly in regions lacking infrastructure and specialists.
The physicians involved in the project expressed significant enthusiasm. “Performing the first-in-human cataract surgery with the JASPER Platform has been the highlight of my career. Something we could only dream about a few years ago is now a reality. Standing in the operating room, it was clear we were witnessing the future of eye surgery,” reported Dr. Alexey Rapoport.
Following the closure of its Series B funding round last year and this successful human trial, ForSight Robotics is preparing for its next phase. The company is currently focusing on clinical validation and securing the necessary regulatory approvals to finally bring the technology to the commercial market.