Fraunhofer IGD Technology Transforms Ocular Prosthesis Production at Moorfields Eye Hospital
Tuesday 27 February, 2024 – The technology developed by Fraunhofer IGD is now being used at Moorfields Eye Hospital to produce high-quality ocular prostheses using 3D printing. This groundbreaking development provides new hope for hundreds of thousands of people in Europe who require ocular prostheses. The research team at Fraunhofer IGD has published their methodology and results in a paper in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications, making this revolutionary technology available to all interested parties.
Since its initial debut in 2021, 3D printing has revolutionized the production of ocular prostheses at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. Johann Reinhard, Deputy Department Head of the 3D Printing Technology Competence Center, explains the impact of this technology, stating, “Optimally adapted artificial eyes can enormously enhance the quality of life of those affected.” The technology developed by Fraunhofer IGD ensures a perfect fit for both the patient’s remaining good eye and the empty eye socket, providing the best possible outcome.
Fraunhofer IGD’s Cuttlefish:Eye software and Cuttlefish® printer driver play a vital role in this process, providing the necessary tools for ocularists to utilize this groundbreaking technology. The software has already received approval as a medical device in the UK, with plans for its use in mainland Europe in the near future.
The academic paper published in Nature Communications details the technology behind the Cuttlefish:Eye software and the exceptional quality of the ocular prostheses it produces. The researchers analyzed both the appearance and shape of the prostheses in a sample of ten patients, with the ocularist treating the patients rating them as excellent. Reinhard adds, “Patients describe the 3D-printed ocular prostheses as ‘life-changing’.” The analysis of these ten cases also helped to determine which patients would benefit most from this technology and what adjustments were necessary for the best fit.
One of the most significant advantages of 3D printing in this process is the consistent high quality and shorter production times. As the need for input from ocularists is reduced, this also leads to a significant reduction in manual labor, resulting in a potential five-fold decrease. Reinhard explains, “More importantly, however, more patients can be treated, and their waiting time for a new prosthesis can be shortened.” Around 750,000 people in Europe require ocular prostheses due to serious injuries or illness, and this technology has the potential to greatly improve their quality of life.
In addition to providing consistently high-quality prostheses in less time, the digital measuring and production process is also far less invasive for patients. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is used to scan both the eye socket and the healthy eye, eliminating the need for traditional alginate impressions. The Cuttlefish:Eye software uses a statistically determined model to create a precisely fitting prosthesis, even with incomplete information about the eye socket’s surface. Production takes place on a multi-material 3D printer controlled by the Cuttlefish® printer driver, with the prostheses manufactured and distributed by Ocupeye Ltd.
The Fraunhofer IGD team is now expanding its expertise in 3D printing to other areas, including dental restorations and facial prostheses. In the future, these will also be designed using their software and produced with the Cuttlefish® printer driver.
For further information about Fraunhofer IGD’s groundbreaking research in ophthalmology, please visit https://www.igd.fraunhofer.de/en/industries/healthcare/ophtalmology.html. The paper can be read at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-45345-5.
About Fraunhofer IGD:
For over 30 years, the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD has been at the forefront of visual computing technology, with a team of approximately 210 experts specializing in image- and model-based informatics. Their research supports companies and institutions across various sectors, including the automotive industry, healthcare, bioeconomics, infrastructure, information technology, maritime economy, and cultural and creative economy. Fraunhofer IGD provides tailor-made technological solutions to support strategic development, with a focus on human-machine interactions, virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, interactive simulation, modeling, and 3D printing and scanning. The institute has been engaged in high-level research since 1987, with facilities in Darmstadt, Rostock, and Kiel. They also collaborate with their Austrian sister institute, which operates in Graz and Klagenfurt, and participate in numerous EU projects.
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