The Apple Vision Pro continues to prove its potential in the medical field, with the headset now seeing use for cataract surgeries in New York.
Priced at $3500, the Apple Vision Pro was never going to be a hit consumer product. Still, Apple's spatial computing device has found limited success in the healthcare industry, a market the company had in mind from the get-go.
Surgeons have praised the Apple Vision Pro for its high-resolution images and ergonomics. The headset has been used in all sorts of medical and surgical procedures, including colonoscopies, a shoulder arthroscopy, and it's now even proven to be useful for cataract surgeries.
Dr. Eric Rosenberg of SightMD was able to successfully perform cataract surgery using the Apple Vision Pro. In October 2025, he became the first surgeon in the world to conduct this sort of operation with the help of Apple's spatial computing headset.
How the Apple Vision Pro has improved cataract surgery
Since then, the Apple Vision Pro has seen use in hundreds of additional cases, thanks to ScopeXR, a mixed reality surgical platform co-created by Dr. Rosenberg.
The software is specially designed for ophthalmic surgery, offering integration with 3D digital surgical microscopes via HDMI, USB, and wireless NDI protocols.
In short, ScopeXR lets surgeons view a live stereoscopic feed from surgical microscopes, along with diagnostic data. This feed can be forwarded to medical professionals, consultants, mentors, and students from around the world, allowing for virtual collaboration via two-way audio.
Dr. Eric Rosenberg described ScopeXR as a software platform that makes surgeons "safer, smarter, and more connected."
"What we accomplished in that operating room is something that has never been done before anywhere in the world," added Dr. Rosenberg. "This isn't just about a new device, it's about reimagining what the operating room of the future looks like."
Commenting on the collaborative potential of the Apple Vision Pro and ScopeXR, Dr. Rosenberg said that it's now possible to "bring the world's best surgeon into any operating room, at any hour, from anywhere on the planet."
The Apple Vision Pro has other medical applications
Though cataract surgery with the Apple Vision Pro is undoubtedly an impressive endeavor, it's not entirely unexpected.
Detail from an Apple patent researching other ways to use Apple Vision Pro sensors to help read brainwaves, suggesting an interest in medical-related applications.
The spatial computing headset has already been used for various procedures in the United States and elsewhere, and its wear time in the operating room will likely continue to increase.
In the UK, for instance, the Apple Vision Pro was used for a spinal fusion operation, and it has also helped patients visualize complex operations and procedures to better understand them.
Apple's spatial computing headset has additional potential for patient care. An October 2025 study explored using the Apple Vision Pro to help people with spinal cord injuries or ALS communicate. Apple itself has also been researching the use of brainwave sensors for the Apple Vision Pro.
As the Apple Vision Pro continues to evolve, we might see additional applications across the healthcare industry. visionOS, meanwhile, is set to receive an update at WWDC 2026, which starts on June 8.
