Ophthalmology: Using 3D Printing to Revolutionize Cataract Surgery
Written By: Sophie Farr
The Norwich Science Festival is held annually in the UK during October. Each day has a different theme, and I was lucky enough to go to the “Health and Wellbeing” day. Most events are free, and a plethora of stands and interactive workshops are held. Therefore, the day has something in store for the whole family. One of the stands that really captivated me was on how the University of East Anglia had begun using 3D printers in order to perform cataract surgery with more efficiency, a smaller incision, and a quicker healing process.
Cataracts are when the eye becomes cloudy and opaque which leads to decreased vision. They are common in elderly people and usually develop gradually over a relatively long period of time. Some of the symptoms of cataracts include: blurred vision, double vision, faded colours, difficulty seeing at night, and a sensitivity to bright light. It is thought that over half of Americans, over the age of 80, currently have cataracts or have previously undergone surgery to fix them.
Current surgical procedures for cataracts do not require an overnight stay; most patients are able to leave hospital in a couple of hours. The basic premise behind cataract surgery is that the doctor needs to insert an artificial lens into the eye through an incision. The lens that is inserted is known as an intraocular lens, and it is shaped like a circle with two hooks on either end. The hooks allow it to stay in place and take over as the lens is used to focus vision.
During my time talking to the professor at the stand, he explained how his department at the university was using 3D printers to create more flexible intraocular lenses in a record breaking amount of time. Through using new methods of creating lenses, the university managed to create thousands of lenses a day. Making the manufacturing process more efficient is vital considering the percentage of the elderly population that is suffering from cataracts. Furthermore, he also demonstrated how the lenses made using the 3D printer were much more flexible than the traditional ones. This allows for a smaller incision to be made into the eye during surgery as the operator is able to bend it in half and squeeze it into place. Due to the incision size being decreased, this would make the surgery much quicker and the recovery less painful for patients.
Sources
Norwich Science Festival: https://norwichsciencefestival.co.uk/
Cataract Surgery: https://www.allaboutvision.com/en-gb/conditions/cataract-surgery/#:~:text=In%20cataract%20surgery%2C%20the%20lens,hospital%20or%20other%20care%20facility.
Intraocular lenses: https://www.optegra.com/eye-health-blog/lens-replacement/everything-you-need-to-know-about-intraocular-lenses/
