World’s first remote eye surgery from 4,200 km away done by Chinese doctors
Chinese ophthalmologists have successfully carried out the world’s first remote subretinal injection operation from more than 4,200 kilometers away, Sun Yat-sen University announced on Tuesday.
Doctors at the Zhongshan Eye Center in Guangzhou treated a patient located in Urumqi, Xinjiang, by operating a robotic surgical arm through a high-speed 5G network. The breakthrough marks a major leap in telemedicine and high-precision remote surgery, particularly in the field of ophthalmology, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
“This operation marks an important step towards the practical application of remote high-precision ophthalmic surgery in China,” said Lin Haotian, a representative of the Sun Yat-sen University Zhongshan Eye Center.
During the procedure, a microneedle was inserted into the patient’s eye by a robotic system in Urumqi. Surgeons in Guangzhou controlled the instrument in real time, carefully guiding the microneedle to the correct depth before delivering medication beneath the retina. The entire operation was completed in under seven minutes.
The successful surgery demonstrates China’s rapid advances in medical robotics, telecommunications technology, and remote care capability. Experts say the technology could greatly expand access to specialized eye treatments in remote and underserved regions, reducing travel burdens and improving medical outcomes for patients across the country.
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