Applications of three-dimensional printing in ophthalmology

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is increasingly used to produce customized objects and is a promising alternative to traditional manufacturing methods in diverse fields, such as dentistry and orthopedics. Already in use in other medical specialties, adoption in ophthalmology has been limited to date. This review aims to provide an overview of 3D printing technology with respect to current and potential applications in ophthalmic practice.Medline, Embase, and Internet searches were performed with 3D printing, ophthalmology, dentistry, orthopaedics and their synonyms used as main search terms. In addition, search terms related to clinical applications such as surgery and implant were employed.3D printing has multiple applications in ophthalmology, including in diagnosis, surgery, prosthetics, medications, and medical education. Within the past decade, researchers have produced 3D printed models of objects such as implants, prostheses, anatomical models and surgical simulators. Further development is necessary to generate optimal biomaterials for various applications, and the quality and long-term performance of 3D models needs to be validated.(c) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Three-dimensional printing technology has a wide range of applications in ophthalmology, including diagnosis, surgery, prosthetics, medications, and medical education. However, further development is needed to improve the quality of biomaterials for various applications and validate the long-term performance of 3D models.