Papers
26
Total Citations
911
H-Index
15
About
Marc D. de Smet is a pioneering ophthalmologist and surgeon-scientist whose work sits at the cutting edge of robotic-assisted intraocular surgery. Over the past decade, he has emerged as one of the world's foremost authorities on applying robotic technology to the most delicate procedures in ophthalmology, particularly vitreoretinal surgery. His landmark 2018 first-in-human study demonstrating the safety and viability of intraocular robotic surgery — now cited over 215 times — marked a watershed moment in the field, translating years of laboratory and animal research into clinical reality. De Smet's contributions extend across multiple fronts: developing robotic methodologies for cannulating occluded retinal veins, pioneering robot-assisted subretinal drug delivery under local anesthesia, and rigorously comparing robotic versus manual techniques for procedures such as internal limiting membrane peeling. His research consistently demonstrates that robotic assistance reduces physiological tremor, improves precision, and minimizes iatrogenic damage — advantages with profound implications for ocular gene therapy. With a body of work accumulating nearly 700 citations, de Smet has helped reshape expectations for what is surgically achievable within the human eye, inspiring a new generation of researchers to pursue robotics as an essential frontier in ophthalmology.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1First-in-human study of the safety and viability of intraocular robotic surgery215 citations · 2018
- 2Robotic Assisted Cannulation of Occluded Retinal Veins89 citations · 2016
- 3Robotic-assisted surgery in ophthalmology78 citations · 2018
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- 8Robotic Assistance for Intraocular Microsurgery: Challenges and Perspectives43 citations · 2022
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- 10Toward the Art of Robotic-assisted Vitreoretinal Surgery.38 citations · 2017