The Reusable System 4 Eye (R.S.E): How It Works and When It Saves Money
A single-use training eye goes in the bin after one session, even though you only cut a small part of it. The Reusable System 4 Eye (R.S.E) changes that: you replace only the eye top you worked on and keep everything else. It takes a little assembly, about one minute per eye, and in return it lowers the cost of every eye from the very first refill. It is made for universities, societies and course organisers who train many participants, want to avoid high costs and want to train more sustainably. This guide explains what you buy, how assembly works, what it costs at 10, 20, 50 and 100 eyes, and when single-use eyes are still the better choice.
The idea
What the R.S.E is, in one paragraph
Every eyecre.at training eye has a part you operate on and a part that only holds it. In a single-use Eye 4 model both are thrown away together. The R.S.E splits them: the eye top carries the anatomy for one procedure and is replaced after training, the Base 4 Reuse underneath is used for 10 tops, and the R.S.E Kit with the assembly station and tools stays in your wetlab for good. The result is the same realistic eye for the trainee, with a lower price per eye for the programme and less plastic waste.
The trade-off in one sentence
You assemble the eyes yourself, about one minute per eye, and save money on every eye from the first refill on. For a course or fellowship with dozens of eyes, that minute is easily worth it. For occasional practice, single-use eyes are simpler.
Made for
Universities and societies with many participants
The R.S.E was built for organisations that train many surgeons every year and want to keep both costs and waste under control. When a wetlab needs dozens or hundreds of eyes, the price per eye decides how much hands-on practice each participant actually gets.
Residency and fellowship programmes
Example: 12 residents with 10 eyes each per year. 120 eyes cost €7,457.80 with the R.S.E instead of €11,880 single-use, a saving of €4,422.20 (37%). From the second year on, without the kit, the saving is 39%.
Congress wetlabs and society courses
Example: 40 participants with 2 eyes each. 80 eyes cost €5,038.20 with the R.S.E instead of €7,920 single-use, a saving of €2,881.80 (36%). The same kit serves next year's course.
More practice for the same money
At €60.49 per eye after the kit, a fixed training budget buys over 60% more eyes than with single-use models. Each participant gets more repetitions.
A measurable step for green-meeting goals
About 1.4 kg less plastic per 100 eyes. Societies and universities with sustainability targets can report the R.S.E as a concrete waste reduction in their training.
What you buy
Two parts: one kit, then refills
R.S.E Kit
€199 one time
- Assembly station and tools to mount eye tops on the base
- Liquid4Eye for the first 10 eyes
- Durable and reusable, one kit serves all stations
Refill pack
€604.90 €60.49 per eye
- 10 eye tops for the procedure of your choice
- 1 Base 4 Reuse, good for 10 tops
- Liquid4Eye
The kit is the assembly equipment, not an eye holder. Running eight stations does not mean eight kits: one R.S.E Kit per wetlab is enough. Both parts are ordered on the Reusable System 4 Eye product page.
Assembly
How assembly works in 5 steps
Set up the assembly station
Place the black assembly station on a MatPro 4 Eye or your bench. It stays in your wetlab for every future course.
Insert a new eye top
Take a top from your refill pack, for the procedure you want to train, and set it into the station.
Fill it and close it with the Base 4 Reuse
Fill the eye with Liquid4Eye using the 20 ml syringe and the fluid cannula, then close it with the Base 4 Reuse. The blue tabs on the base line up with the station.
Finish with Tool 02 and the needle
Tool 02 guides the 20G Needle R.S.E through the port of the base to complete the eye. With a little routine, steps 2 to 4 take about one minute per eye.
Train, then swap only the top
Take the finished eye out of the station and train on it like any other eyecre.at eye. Afterwards, replace only the used top. Each Base 4 Reuse carries 10 tops, and every refill brings a fresh base.
The Reusable System 4 Eye in our own video.
Costs
What it costs at 10, 20, 50 and 100 eyes
The comparison uses list prices: R.S.E Kit €199 plus one refill (€604.90) per 10 eyes, against single-use Eye 4 models at €99 per eye (sold in packs of 6). Prices before VAT and shipping.
| Eyes | Single-use eyes | R.S.E incl. kit | You save | Per eye with R.S.E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | €990 | €803.90 | €186.10 (19%) | €80.39 |
| 20 | €1,980 | €1,408.80 | €571.20 (29%) | €70.44 |
| 50 | €4,950 | €3,223.50 | €1,726.50 (35%) | €64.47 |
| 100 | €9,900 | €6,248 | €3,652 (37%) | €62.48 |
The kit is a one-time cost. From the second year on, a programme pays only €60.49 per eye, which is 39% below the single-use price.
Calculate your programme
Procedures
12 procedures, one kit
The same R.S.E Kit works for every refill. A department that teaches glaucoma surgery in spring and vitrectomy in autumn buys one kit and two kinds of refills.
Trabeculectomy, Ab-Externo Shunt, SchlemmSim Pro
Scleral flaps, deep sclerectomy, drainage devices and MIGS on Schlemm's canal.
Suturing, Layered Cornea, Cornea Transplantation
Corneal and scleral suturing, DMEK and DSAEK, penetrating keratoplasty.
IOL, ICL, Iris Prosthesis, Compromised Capsule Bag, Yamane
Lens implantation and complication management. See our Yamane guide.
Honest choice
When the R.S.E is right, and when it is not
| Your situation | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| University, society or course organiser with many participants (20 or more eyes of one procedure) | R.S.E: the saving grows with every refill |
| Several procedures in one wetlab | R.S.E: one kit, one refill per procedure |
| Fewer than 10 eyes a year, occasional practice | Single-use Eye 4 models, no assembly needed |
| Congress booth or demo without prep time | Single-use eyes, ready to use |
| Cataract and phaco courses | Phaco is not part of the R.S.E. The volume option is Kit 4 Rhexis with Cataract, see our phaco guide |
Sustainability
Less waste per trained surgeon
Because only the top is replaced, each R.S.E eye uses about 15.8 g less material than a complete single-use eye. Over 100 eyes that is roughly 1.4 kg less plastic, from training material that would otherwise end up as waste. Ophthalmology is actively working on its footprint, from the ESCRS sustainability programme to the EyeSustain collaboration between surgeons and industry. Wetlab training is a small but very visible part of that.
Useful extras
Accessories for your R.S.E station
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is the R.S.E a good fit for universities and ophthalmic societies?
Yes, that is who it was built for. Residency programmes, congress wetlabs and society courses with many participants save 35 to 39% per eye compared with single-use eyes and produce about 1.4 kg less plastic waste per 100 eyes.
Do I need one R.S.E Kit per station?
No. The R.S.E Kit is the assembly station and tools, not the eye holder. One kit per wetlab is enough, however many stations you run.
What is in a refill pack?
10 eye tops for one procedure, 1 Base 4 Reuse that carries those 10 tops, and Liquid4Eye. A refill costs €604.90, which is €60.49 per eye.
How long does assembly take?
About one minute per eye once you have done it a few times. One person prepares a 10-eye course in a few minutes.
From how many eyes does the R.S.E pay off?
From the first 10 eyes. Including the one-time kit, 10 R.S.E eyes cost €803.90 instead of €990 for 10 single-use eyes. At 100 eyes the saving is €3,652, or 37%.
Can I train different procedures with the same kit?
Yes. The kit works with all 12 refills: Trabeculectomy, Suturing, Vitrectomy, Layered Cornea, Cornea Transplantation, IOL, ICL, Iris Prosthesis, Compromised Capsule Bag, Ab-Externo Shunt, Yamane and SchlemmSim Pro.
Is cataract surgery or phaco available for the R.S.E?
No. For high-volume cataract training we recommend Kit 4 Rhexis with Cataract, which works out at about €10 per complete phaco run.
Planning a programme or society course?
Tell us your participants, procedures and number of eyes, and we calculate the R.S.E setup and your saving.
Keep learning
Related guides
Vitrectomy wetlab training
The seven PPV steps, mapped to your wetlab.
BlogThe Yamane technique step by step
Six steps, IOL choice and pitfalls of flanged IOL fixation.
BlogPhaco training for beginners
Four systems compared, including cost per training run.
BlogCustom training models
How we develop new models with you.
Sources
- eyecre.at list prices, Reusable System 4 Eye, October 2026
- ESCRS, Sustainability
- Hovanesian JA, Working With Industry to Reduce Surgical Waste, CRST, June 2024
We change the world eye per eye at a time. David Ortner, CEO
Not for medical or human use, non-sterile and only for demonstration. All eyecre.at products are artificial training and demonstration equipment. Made in Austria.
