US-based non-profit healthcare organisation HelpMeSee has rolled out its next-generation simulation-based eye surgery training for phacoemulsification, a method of cataract surgery.
HelpMeSee said that advanced, instructor-led training for phacoemulsification supports teaching of the most modern techniques in cataract surgery.
Eye surgery training provides an immersive experience, including the look and feel of surgery in a human eye, eliminating risks to patient safety.
It deploys high-fidelity haptics that enables the trainees to feel the sensations of surgery on a real eye and develop muscle memory for dealing with real tissues in surgery.
The training includes one-on-one coaching from a skilled surgeon and system-delivered cues that guide a trainee, which can be gradually removed to improve the trainee’s decision-making.
It allows a trainee to be fully immersed in the surgical experience for several days, to help develop expertise without risk to the safety of a patient, said HelpMeSee.
HelpMeSee president and CEO Saro Jahani said: “With an ageing population worldwide, the need for more surgeons trained to perform cataract surgery is great.
“As we work to fight global cataract blindness, we are thrilled to launch HelpMeSee’s simulation-based training for phacoemulsification. This instructor-led training offers the most versatile eye surgery simulator in the world.
“It provides a less experienced ophthalmologist the opportunity to practice surgery until he or she gets it right, and a more experienced ophthalmologist the opportunity to practice until he or she simply cannot get it wrong.”
HelpMeSee said that the addition of training for phacoemulsification complements its portfolio of training offerings.
The portfolio includes manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS), cataract complications simulation and corneal and scleral suturing, which deal with preventable blindness.
The training is intended for active surgeons who seek additional surgical skills, newly graduated surgeons, mission surgeons, and surgeons returning after time away from live surgery.
The non-profit organisation said that it will use the proceeds from the purchase of its training course to further support its mission to eradicate cataract blindness in the world.
HelpMeSee chief medical officer Van Lansingh said: “For residents and fellows in training and ophthalmologists, this training provides a unique opportunity to learn a new surgery and refine skills in just days.
“As the only training of its kind that is instructor-led and includes high-fidelity haptics, the training provides unlimited opportunities for trainees to experience eye surgery, with a laser focus on building strong skills and instilling the confidence live surgery requires.”
