A New York ophthalmologist recently set a new record for medical applications, becoming the first surgeon in the world to use Apple’s Vision Pro spatial computing headset during cataract surgery. This also provides another symbolic case for the implementation of Apple's high-priced headsets in professional and enterprise scenarios.
It is reported that Dr. Eric Rosenberg, an ophthalmologist from SightMD, completed the first cataract surgery with the help of Vision Pro as early as October 2025, and has since completed hundreds of similar surgeries on the same platform. He co-developed a surgical platform called ScopeXR for Apple’s mixed reality device, which transmits live footage from a 3D digital surgical microscope directly into Vision Pro. With the help of this system, the surgeon can observe the surgical field of view in a stereoscopic 3D form on the head-mounted display, and superimpose preoperative examination and diagnostic data on the screen.
ScopeXR also supports real-time remote collaboration capabilities, allowing other surgeons to virtually "join" the operating room and remotely view the exact same surgical view as the lead surgeon. "We can now bring the best surgeons in the world into any operating room at any time and in any place," Rosenberg said in a company press release. He emphasized that from residents who have just started to work independently to senior doctors who encounter emergencies during operations, this technology can help them get immediate expert support, thereby "truly democratizing expertise and ultimately saving more people's vision."
This case also highlights that Apple is accelerating the application of Vision Pro in enterprise and professional fields, rather than just limiting it to consumer-level entertainment devices. With a starting price of $3,499 and a bulky size, the device has struggled to gain traction with the average consumer. In recent years, Apple has increasingly emphasized the Vision Pro's application prospects in vertical industries such as medical care, aviation training, and industrial design, where the device's functionality can more easily justify its cost.
Apple has previously stated that the Vision Pro was not a product for the mass market from the beginning. However, market enthusiasm is said to have "cooled much faster than expected", with reports that many early users "deeply regret" purchasing the device. The latest news is that Apple is not currently actively promoting the development of the next generation of Vision series headsets, but is shifting its research and development focus to more lightweight smart glasses. In this direction, Meta has taken the lead in making certain progress. Apple launched an upgraded version of Vision Pro equipped with M5 chip in October 2025. This is the first hardware update since the release of this product line.