Key points from article :
Traditionally, creating a prosthetic eye takes 8 hours and requires highly trained specialists.
A new method uses AI and 3D printing to design and create prosthetic eyes in 80% less time.
Uses scans of the eye socket and remaining eye to create a custom-designed prosthetic.
3D printing allows for a high-resolution prosthetic with a natural appearance.
A human ocularist can then make minor adjustments to ensure a perfect fit.
Initial trials on 10 people at Moorfields Eye Hospital show this method creates well-fitting prosthetics in most cases.
The process can be refined to drastically reduce the cost and make them available to more people.
"We see this like a tool for ocularists, so it’s not something that’s meant to replace ocularists," - Johann Reinhard, Corresponding author.
Research by Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research published in Nature Communications.
