Sharp HealthCare, through its Spatial Computing Center of Excellence, has launched an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved clinical study evaluating the use of spatial computing in cataract surgery.
This study represents one of the first IRB-approved, prospective clinical evaluations of Apple Vision Pro in ocular microsurgery using the ClearSurgery application, moving beyond early anecdotal use toward structured clinical investigation with potential implications for microsurgery more broadly.
The study includes the use of Apple Vision Pro to assess how digital technologies can be safely and feasibly integrated into ophthalmic microsurgery.
The study, “Evaluation of Head Mounted Spatial Computing and 3D Visualization in Ocular Microsurgery: A Feasibility and Safety Study,” will be conducted at Sharp HealthCare and Sharp Otay Lakes Ambulatory Surgery Center using a ZEISS Artevo 3D digital ophthalmic surgical microscope and the ClearSphere spatial computing application developed by ClearSurgery. The study is supported by the Sharp HealthCare Foundation.
“We are conducting this study carefully and responsibly to generate clinical data that helps us understand how spatial computing technology may be used safely in surgical eye care,” said Tommy Korn, MD, Chief Spatial Computing Officer at Sharp HealthCare, ophthalmologist at Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group, and principal investigator of the study. “Technologies such as Apple Vision Pro and digital surgical microscopes offer new approaches to surgical visualization. This study will help define how spatial computing tools may be incorporated into ophthalmic surgery workflows in a measured and appropriate way.”
Advancing Innovation in Real World Care Settings
By evaluating this technology at Sharp Otay Lakes Ambulatory Surgery Center, Sharp HealthCare is studying advanced surgical tools in a community-based setting, expanding access to technologies under evaluation closer to where patients receive care.
“This effort also reflects Sharp’s commitment to bringing clinical innovation research into the communities we serve,” said Korn. “In a region like San Diego, where cataract surgery is commonly needed, evaluating this technology in a community-based setting allows us to better understand how it performs in real-world patient care.”
Addressing Longstanding Surgical Challenges
For decades, surgeons across multiple specialties including ophthalmology, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, and hand surgery have relied on optical microscopes to perform delicate procedures. While these systems remain the standard of care, technologies like spatial computing are being explored as complementary surgical visualization tools in the operating room, according to Korn.
Cataract surgery is one of the most performed procedures worldwide, and demand continues to grow. Traditional microscope-based surgery requires prolonged static positioning, which can contribute to musculoskeletal strain over time. The study will evaluate whether spatial computing–based visualization may have an impact on surgeon ergonomics, intraoperative visualization, including depth perception, and surgical workflow, says Korn.
Exploring the Future of Surgical Care
This study may help inform future research on the use of spatial computing in surgery, including applications in visualization, training, and collaboration.
“We are conducting this study with the goal of understanding how spatial computing may be used in eye surgery workflows while supporting surgeon well-being,” said Dr. Korn.
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