Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of virtual reality proficiency-based training on actual cataract surgery performance. The secondary purpose of the study was to define which surgeons benefit from virtual reality training.
DESIGN: Multicenter masked clinical trial.
PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen cataract surgeons with different levels of experience.
METHODS: Cataract surgical training on a virtual reality simulator (EyeSi) until a proficiency-based test was passed.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Technical performance in the operating room (OR) assessed by 3 independent, masked raters using a previously validated task-specific assessment tool for cataract surgery (Objective Structured Assessment of Cataract Surgical Skill). Three surgeries before and 3 surgeries after the virtual reality training were video-recorded, anonymized, and presented to the raters in random order.
RESULTS: Novices (non-independently operating surgeons) and surgeons having performed fewer than 75 independent cataract surgeries showed significant improvements in the OR-32% and 38%, respectively-after virtual reality training (P = 0.008 and P = 0.018). More experienced cataract surgeons did not benefit from simulator training. The reliability of the assessments was high with a generalizability coefficient of 0.92 and 0.86 before and after the virtual reality training, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Clinically relevant cataract surgical skills can be improved by proficiency-based training on a virtual reality simulator. Novices as well as surgeons with an intermediate level of experience showed improvement in OR performance score.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Ophthalmology |
Volume | 124 |
Issue number | 4 |
Pages (from-to) | 524-531 |
ISSN | 0161-6420 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Apr 2017 |
Keywords
- Clinical Competence/standards
- Computer Simulation
- Computer-Assisted Instruction/methods
- Double-Blind Method
- Education, Medical, Graduate/standards
- Educational Measurement
- Female
- Humans
- Internship and Residency
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Operating Rooms/standards
- Ophthalmology/education
- Phacoemulsification/education
- Prospective Studies
- Task Performance and Analysis
- Video Recording
- Visual Acuity