Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital launches new-generation robotic femtosecond refractive equipment, with single-eye laser scanning taking only about 10 seconds

In order to further meet the regional public's demand for myopia correction diagnosis and treatment and to continuously improve the capacity to supply eye health medical services, recently Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Ninth People's Hospital equipped its North Campus with the first new-generation robotic femtosecond refractive diagnosis and treatment device of the same series in China, with a single-eye laser scanning time of only about 10 seconds, significantly shorter than the previous generation. On October 30, the device was officially put into clinical use in the ophthalmology department of the Ninth People's Hospital North Campus. According to a World Health Organization report, the total number of myopia patients in China has reached nearly 600 million. In China, the number of people undergoing myopia correction surgery continues to grow, and the public's requirements for the safety of myopia correction and postoperative visual experience continue to rise. Minimally invasive femtosecond laser surgery has been in clinical application for more than ten years, and its safety and stability have been clinically verified. The ophthalmology department of Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital is a National Key Clinical Specialty and has worked for many years in multiple subspecialties such as ocular tumors, orbital diseases, oculoplastic surgery, and corneal refractive surgery. Guo Tao, deputy director of the ophthalmology department of Ninth People's Hospital, head of the ophthalmology department of the North Campus, and chief physician, introduced that the arrival of this device further enriches the clinical technical options for myopia correction in the ophthalmology department and expands clinical diagnosis and treatment choices for people who need to be freed from glasses. The device is equipped with an integrated laser robotic arm and an eye positioning and navigation system. Surgeons can complete laser ablation according to the preoperative examination plan, and the device can automatically assist in completing eye positioning and rotation compensation, ensuring that the ablation position is more centered and more accurate, which is conducive to astigmatism correction, improving nighttime visual performance, and reducing glare, halos, and other conditions. Zhou Jibo, director of the Optometry Center of the ophthalmology department of Ninth People's Hospital and chief physician, introduced that this femtosecond laser surgery is iteratively optimized on the basis of traditional femtosecond laser technology. The laser scanning time is further shortened, and the duration of negative pressure fixation is reduced accordingly, alleviating patients' subjective discomfort during surgery and improving the treatment experience. In addition, the new-generation device has a more uniform corneal ablation plane and less impact on corneal tissue, which helps reduce postoperative dry eye discomfort and accelerate recovery, improves intraoperative stability, and expands the range of clinically suitable patients. The doctor also disclosed that, on the basis of the previous generation, the device adds an independent optical high-definition microscope, allowing doctors to more clearly complete corneal lenticule extraction under the microscope. In addition, this surgical procedure does not create a corneal flap and is flapless and minimally invasive, and can better preserve the biomechanical state of the cornea. Zhang Jing, chief physician of the ophthalmology department of Ninth People's Hospital, has long been engaged in myopia laser correction work. She explained that during femtosecond laser surgery, doctors use a laser to cut a thin "corneal lenticule" inside the cornea, and then remove the lenticule through a tiny incision, correcting myopia by changing the shape of the cornea. Femtosecond laser surgery is "subtraction" on the cornea of the eye, rather than "addition surgery" involving implantation of a lens. Whether it is "subtraction" or "addition surgery," the fundus structure of myopic eyes has not changed, and patients with myopia should still have regular fundus examinations. The doctor also reminded that myopia correction surgery is a medical diagnosis and treatment procedure, and not everyone is suitable for it. Those who need to be freed from glasses should complete a comprehensive and systematic preoperative eye examination, and ophthalmology professionals should make a comprehensive assessment based on eye conditions and physical condition to determine whether surgery can be performed and which diagnosis and treatment plan is suitable.