gms | German Medical Science

Purpose: To document how ViirtualReality Education in VR Surgery runs and how it does affect the outcome of VR service.

Material and Methods: The latest and most advanced simulator used in ophthalmic residency training is entitled “Eyesi^®” and developed by Mannheim, Germany-based VR Magic. It is becoming fast a standard in resident training (1–5). Eyesi^® surgical is assisted by Eyesi^® diagnostic, a new simulator for training to diagnose a variety of diseases which are all detectable when performing indirect ophthalmoscopy. Surgeons with different skill levels – from no experiences up to experts – attended a vitreoretinal intervention, e.g. vitreous removal, posterior vitreous detachment and peeling of the inner limiting membrane. The surgeon together with an instructor take them down from the operating theater and simulate the real surgical intervention in the Eyesi^®.

Results: All, the surgeons, the instructors and the trainees came to a conclusion about the trainees capabilities after a 20 to 30 min surgical intervention. Hand positioning, adjustment of the microscope, control of a vitrectomy mashine and ist parameters, the principles of surgical approaches (entrance of the eye, removal of vitreous in the core, vitreous “staining”, posterior vitreous detachment, peeling of inner limiting membrane) and the detailed evaluation of the procedure could be done after less then half an hour.

Conclusions: At any time the potentials and skill option of any candidate could be detected in a short time (20 to 30 min) if the training follows assistance in the operating room. In general it means, that this procedure allows the potential surgeon as well as the expert to better detect qualifications and assist the candidate, the clinic and the health care systems to determine who is really skilled for performing vitreoretinal surgery.