At the upcoming American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery 2026 meeting, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG will highlight a series of digital, AI-driven, and surgical innovations aimed at enhancing cataract and refractive workflows. Among the updates, the company announced expanded compatibility of MicroSurgical Technology irrigation and aspiration components with the DORC Eva Nexus system, offering additional incision options and reusable and single-use configurations intended to support surgical efficiency and sustainability. Among biometry and surgical planning platform updates are that the Zeiss IOLMaster 700 now incorporates expanded formula capabilities, including the Kane Suite and an enhanced Barrett Suite, while the Zeiss Veracity Surgery Planner adds formulas designed to improve toric IOL calculations in complex cases and to support post–laser vision correction cataract management.

In practice workflow, Zeiss announced the commercial availability of VisioGen, a human-verified, AI-assisted patient engagement platform that integrates with clinic websites to capture inquiries continuously while maintaining clinician oversight. The system is designed to support patient communication and scheduling without replacing staff.

"Unlike fully automated chatbots, VisioGen requires human review before any patient-facing response is delivered," said Dan Haddad, MD, medical director of the Laser Eye Institute in Troy, Michigan, in a news release. "This provides the speed of AI with the oversight needed for clinical safety, appropriate tone, and regulatory compliance. This level of oversight is essential to protecting our brand and maintaining patient trust."

Cloud-based tools will also be featured, including Zeiss Collaborative Care for secure data sharing and referrals, and a preview of Zeiss Clinic 360, a browser-based analytics platform currently pending US regulatory clearance.