Israeli Robotics Company Completes Cataract Surgery 

IFCJ Canada  |  April 24, 2026

Earlier this month in Manlia, ForSight Robotics completed a cataract surgery in collaboration with the Asian Eye Institute, a first of its kind. According to Ynet, the Israeli-based firm used its proprietary JASPER platform, which assists surgeons and makes procedures to replace damaged eye lenses more consistent and safer. In another first, the operation was performed without general anesthesia. 

According to the company, this was the first cataract surgery in a human patient to be completed from start to finish with robotic assistance and without the use of general anesthesia—an approach that aligns with standard modern cataract practices. The company noted that previous ophthalmic robotic procedures had been limited to partial tasks during surgery and were typically performed under general anesthesia. 

Cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgical procedure worldwide. ForSight said this milestone could mark a new phase in ophthalmic care by introducing greater robotic precision and helping address the global shortage of access to sight-restoring treatment. 

“This is a defining moment for ophthalmic surgery and the future of global healthcare,” said Dr. Joseph Nathan, ForSight Robotics’ co-founder, president, and chief medical officer, in a statement. He added that the achievement could help expand access to cataract surgery for millions of patients worldwide. 

The goal of the JASPER platform is to assist surgeons throughout cataract procedures. With advanced imaging, precision controls, and motion scaling, it represents a major step toward streamlining surgery so that more will have access to it and be able to perform it. 

ForSight estimates that more than 600 million people worldwide need cataract surgery, yet only about 30 million receive it each year. This gap is due to a shortage of surgeons and the physical demands of the procedure. Once it’s been clinically reviewed and approved for commercial use, the JASPER program can help resolve these issues.