Heidelberg Engineering will introduce a series of new and recently cleared ophthalmic technologies at the 2026 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual Meeting in New Orleans, spanning surgical visualization, posterior and anterior segment imaging, and corneal microscopy.
Among the headline developments is the US commercial availability of Heidelberg OPERA, the company’s fully digital ophthalmic surgical microscope platform. The system combines digital visualization with large-format displays and image enhancement tools designed to help surgeons visualize anatomical detail during procedures.
AAO attendees will be able to use the system during wet-lab demonstrations at the Heidelberg Engineering area of the EssilorLuxottica booth.
The company is also bringing in vivo confocal microscopy back into its portfolio with Heidelberg RCM. The system follows the discontinued HRT3 RCM and provides high-resolution microscopic imaging of the cornea, allowing examination of cellular morphology from the epithelium through to the endothelium. It provides a field of view of up to 600 × 600 µm.
Several additions to Heidelberg Engineering’s established diagnostic platforms will also be on display.
Following FDA clearance earlier this year, new SPECTRALIS software is now commercially available in the US. The update introduces OCT angiography acquisition at speeds of up to 250 kHz, intended to shorten image acquisition and support OCTA use in busy clinical settings.
SPECTRALIS is also gaining a Green Autofluorescence Module for multimodal retinal imaging. The technology is designed to improve visualization of the macula, including areas of foveal sparing in macular atrophy, and can be used alongside the platform’s existing blue autofluorescence imaging.
For glaucoma, Posterior Pole Change Analysis enables clinicians to compare multiple examinations in a single view to help identify and monitor structural changes over time.
Updates are also coming to the ANTERION anterior segment platform. A newly FDA-cleared Automatic Scleral Spur Detection feature automatically identifies the scleral spur and calculates relevant anterior chamber measurements, with the aim of making angle assessment more consistent.
The system can now also automatically transfer selected cataract measurement reports to compatible surgical planning platforms. By reducing the need to enter measurements manually, the feature is intended to simplify the path from diagnostic assessment to surgical planning and reduce the potential for transcription errors.
The range of launches reflects a wider move toward greater automation and connectivity within ophthalmic imaging, alongside efforts to bring diagnostic-style visualization technologies more directly into the operating room.
“This is our most robust AAO in Heidelberg Engineering’s 36-year history, with more new innovation to share than ever before,” said Jeff Sieve, President of Heidelberg Engineering, Inc.
Heidelberg Engineering will showcase the new technologies at the EssilorLuxottica booth, #2719, during AAO 2026, which takes place in New Orleans from October 10–12.
