ForSight Robotics, an Israeli company developing ophthalmic robotic surgery platforms, has secured US$125 million (AU$191m) in funding to continue its work.
The company said the investment would accelerate the next growth phase for the ORYOM Platform, what it claims is the world’s first robotic surgery platform for cataract and other eye diseases designed to enhance surgical precision, increase patient access to high-quality treatment, and decrease the physical burden on surgeons.
The company is preparing to launch its first-in-human clinical trials this year.
This latest funding round brings ForSight Robotics’ total funding to US$195m (AU$297m).
“We see ophthalmology as the next frontier in the robotics revolution – much like general surgery was before the rise of Intuitive Surgical. With a comparable market size and an urgent global need, our opportunity ahead is immense,” said Dr. Joseph Nathan, ForSight Robotics’ co-founder, president, and chief medical officer.
“Through our latest funding round, we will bring the same level of transformative impact to eye surgery, with technology designed specifically for its unique precision and complexity.”
The global vision crisis, in which over one billion people suffer from preventable vision impairment and avoidable blindness, is punctuated by a limited and declining ophthalmologist workforce.
Globally, there are only 31.7 ophthalmologists per million population and 14.1 cataract surgeons per million population. By 2035, the industry expects a 12% decline in ophthalmologists, while demand is projected to increase by 24%.
At the same time, more than 600 million patients suffer from cataract, and only 30 million of these patients receive surgical treatment.
The company said the ORYOM Platform was engineered for highly precise and consistent ophthalmic procedures, beginning with cataract.
Using AI-based algorithms, advanced computer vision, and micromechanics, the robotic surgery platform aims to “deliver unprecedented dexterity and manoeuvrability while providing surgeons with an improved ergonomic experience”.
“The ORYOM Platform can reach any point within the human eye, allowing surgeons to navigate complex angles and ensuring access to both anterior and posterior segments, setting the stage for glaucoma and retinal surgical treatment.”
More reading
University working on robotic device for use in eye surgery
shown to match or outperform ophthalmologists
AI models predict long-term visual acuity for high myopia
