SightMD, a leading ophthalmology practice serving patients across the greater New England area and beyond, has announced a historic milestone in surgical innovation: Dr. Eric Rosenberg, DO, MSE, has become the first surgeon in the world to successfully perform cataract surgery using the Apple Vision Pro, powered by ScopeXR, a spatial computing surgical platform he co-developed. The initial procedure was completed in October 2025, and since then, Dr. Rosenberg and his team have performed hundreds of additional cases using the platform, demonstrating both its clinical scalability and real-world impact.
ScopeXR is a spatial computing software platform designed specifically for ophthalmic surgery that integrates with existing 3D digital surgical microscopes through HDMI, USB or wireless NDI protocols, streaming real-time surgical imaging directly into the surgeon’s headset. The platform is hardware-agnostic, enabling compatibility with a wide range of surgical systems and allowing rapid adoption across operating rooms without requiring major infrastructure changes. During surgery, Dr. Rosenberg viewed the operative field in immersive stereoscopic 3D while simultaneously accessing real-time surgical overlays and comprehensive preoperative diagnostic data, all without breaking sterile technique.
One of ScopeXR’s most consequential capabilities is its real-time remote collaboration feature, which allows surgeons, mentors, and consultants anywhere in the world to virtually join procedures — seeing exactly what the operating surgeon sees, including live microscope feeds and diagnostic overlays, while communicating via secure two-way audio. The technology carries significant implications for surgical education, enabling medical students, residents, and fellows to observe and learn remotely with unprecedented clarity and immersion while reducing the number of personnel required in the operating room.
SightMD serves patients across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts through more than 100 doctors across 38 locations, with a track record spanning over 50 years of clinical care. As ScopeXR continues to mature, the platform is expected to expand across ophthalmology and into other surgical specialties, with ongoing efforts focused on clinical research, regulatory pathways, and broader deployment across the global surgical community.
KEY QUOTES:
“What we accomplished in that operating room is something that has never been done before anywhere in the world. This isn’t just about a new device, it’s about reimagining what the operating room of the future looks like. We’ve created a platform that makes surgeons safer, smarter, and more connected.”
“We are now able to bring the world’s best surgeon into any operating room, at any hour, from anywhere on the planet. From residents performing their first cases to surgeons facing unexpected complications, this technology democratizes access to expertise and that will save vision.”
Dr. Eric Rosenberg, DO, MSE, SightMD
