Groundbreaking innovation is happening at the Eye Institute at Kensington Health – thanks to the vision and dedication of one of our very own Kensington Health eye surgeons. Dr. Rosa Braga-Mele has spent years working with engineers to refine a new surgical system, and today, the Eye Institute is making history as the first surgical centre in the country to use it on a patient, transforming the way two of the most common eye procedures are performed. 

Until now, if patients required both cataract surgery (replacing a cloudy lens with a clear one) and vitreoretinal surgery (repairing the retina at the back of the eye and the space in front of it), eye surgeons and their clinical care teams needed to operate using two separate machines. This new system changes that, combining these capabilities into one advanced system.   

“As surgeons, we brought the practical perspective of safety and usability to the engineers, helping shape the system so it would truly enhance patient care,” says Dr. Braga-Mele, who provided her clinical expertise to the project. Her role was to guide the engineers on what would work well in practice. She would visit the Research & Development facility in Lake Forest, California, twice a year to test the technology and provide feedback, eventually testing the system in wet labs, and later in operating rooms (ORs), with fellow surgeons to optimize the settings and confirm it worked in real surgeries.  

As part of the Advisory Board, Dr. Braga-Mele has provided valuable insight that ultimately helped shape and refine the system over the last 10 years, ensuring it worked for both patients and their surgeons.

Dr. Braga-Mele has more than 28 years of experience in ophthalmology. The years spent in the field performing surgery, researching, and working with patients meant that she knew exactly what the operating room needed to enhance patient care.  

And now, after rigorous testing, approval for use in the United States and countless surgeries later, the system is heading to Canada. Dr. Braga-Mele is eager to be the first Canadian doctor to use the technology on a human eye, thanks to its recent Health Canada approval.  

“It feels like a significant contribution to advancing eye care here, and it's happening right here at Kensington Health,” says Dr. Braga-Mele.  

The new system helps keep the eye steadier and at a more natural pressure during surgery. This makes the procedure gentler on the eye, which often results in less irritation and clearer vision.  

It also uses advanced technology to break up and remove the lens more quickly and efficiently, even in more complicated cases. 

“Now we can save 30 seconds per surgery. It may not sound like a lot, but when you do complex cataract surgeries, that efficiency means the world for patients and surgeons.” 

The impact? For patients, it means a better experience overall, with less discomfort during surgery and quicker recovery post-procedure. For surgeons and OR teams, it means efficiency, safety, and the ability to treat more patients at the same time. 

Dr. Braga-Mele is proud of the role she has played in advancing eye care and credits Kensington Health’s support for her ability to bring it to our patient population at the Eye Institute, one of the province’s highest volume surgical centres. 

“Kensington is a place where innovation meets patient care,” says Dr. Braga-Mele.  

“We’ve trialed new technologies, introduced advanced intraocular lenses, and published many clinical studies. This milestone continues that tradition.” 

To learn more about the Eye Institute at Kensington Health and our expert surgical team, state-of-the-art equipment, high-quality care, click here.