Systems and methods for controlling autofocus operations

A method for performing auto-focus in a camera is disclosed. The method includes: receiving, from a tracking system for tracking a position of a medical instrument, a signal; determining, based on the received signal, that the medical instrument is removed from a field of view of the camera; in response to determining that a continuous auto-focus mode for the camera is enabled: retrieving, from a database, a first focus distance value representing a focus distance that was most recently set with intent for the camera; and automatically updating a focus distance of the camera to the first focus distance value.