Recently, a remote retinal laser treatment spanning more than 1000 kilometers was conducted at the Telemedicine Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital via 5G network. As Prof. Youxin Chen, the director of Ophthalmology Department, turned to the screen and clicked the mouse, efficient and accurate fundus laser photocoagulation was immediately performed in Dr. Guofang Jiao’s treatment room in Tonghua Eye Hospital, Jilin Province. Mr. Wu, the patient who received this procedure, suffered from diabetic retinopathy for many years, and need to receive nearly 1000 laser burns in one eye. By this telecommuncation-based laser photocoagulator which can operate automatically by preset mode, the highest laser photocoagulation speed can escalate to 10 points per second. It is much faster and evenly distributed than traditional one-by-one manual operation. Supported by the high throughput and large bandwidth of the 5G network, the above procedure has almost zero delay in communication, which is virtually equivalent to face-to-face operation.

Prof. Youxin Chen performing laser photocoagulation procedure

Text: Cui Fang/Health News, Chen Mingyan, Wang Lu

Photo: Sun Liang, Wang Lu, BTV<Sheng Ming Yuan>

Translator: Zhang Xia

Editor: Zheng Ke