August 18, 2026, 3:42 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Apple’s Vision Pro has yet to catch on with private buyers. The AR glasses were seen as a potential start of a new computer generation but remained a niche product. Additionally, Apple is said to have recently reduced the device’s development and reassigned employees to other projects. However, the data glasses appear to be significantly more successful in one area: the operating room.
Development Already Began in Germany
The use of the Vision Pro in medicine has been a focus for researchers in Germany since 2023. At that time, a team led by Dr. Ronny Grunert and neurosurgeon Prof. Dirk Winkler from the University Hospital Leipzig developed software for use in the OR.
The application projects MRI and CT images directly into the doctors’ field of vision. This allows surgeons to recognize important anatomical structures and the position of their instruments without constantly having to switch to a separate screen.
Contact with Apple Led to Cupertino
In October 2023, Grunert reached out via email directly to then-Apple CEO Tim Cook. Just 14 days later, the team received a response from the U.S.–along with an invitation to Cupertino.
In May 2024, the researchers presented their development at Apple. They then adapted the software together with Apple computer scientists for the Vision Pro. Although the data glasses were not yet available in Germany at the time, the team was allowed to take a device back to Leipzig.
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Study Examines Use of Vision Pro in the OR
How helpful the Vision Pro can be during surgeries is shown by a recent study from California. At the Shiley Eye Institute of the University of California San Diego, researchers analyzed a total of 32 procedures on blocked tear ducts.
In 16 operations, surgeons followed the endoscope camera images through the Apple glasses. In the remaining procedures, they used a conventional monitor instead.
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Significantly Shorter Operation Time
The study results show a clear difference. With the Vision Pro, the average duration of an operation was 34.4 minutes. When a conventional monitor was used, the average time was 42.7 minutes.
This means the procedures were shortened by an average of 19 percent through the use of the Apple glasses. The participating doctors also reported better posture and less strain during work.
According to the study, all five participating surgeons preferred the Vision Pro after the study concluded. No complications were found in either group.