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Computer-based platform offers versatile virtual training in cataract surgery
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 Bonnie An Henderson |
PHILADELPHIA — A new Web-based software package enables residents to learn cataract procedures and established surgeons to hone their skills, a speaker said here.
The Virtual Mentor offers practitioners a high degree of autonomy and flexibility in practicing surgical methods, Bonnie An Henderson, MD, said during the Bernard C. Gettes Symposium at the Wills Eye Institute Alumni Conference.
"It's very hard to learn when you're on your own," Dr, Henderson said. "When you're in training, like at an institution like [Wills], it's much easier. You have someone sitting next to you to tell you what to do and what not to do, to stop you if you're getting into trouble, and also to help you out of trouble."
The Virtual Mentor is a cognitive tool designed to complement hands-on practice in wet labs or virtual reality simulators. It allows the user to choose procedures and associated steps. The program's home page comprises three columns: a list of procedures and steps, animation of the chosen procedure, and a listing of educational resources and information on avoiding or managing intraoperative complications.
"This is purely just an intellectual process of actually doing surgery," Dr. Henderson said. "That's really the learning process that people are lacking in a physical simulator."
The Virtual Mentor is copyrighted by the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. A prototype of the program is completed. The package is expected to enter the market this year.
- Disclosure: Dr. Henderson is a consultant for Alcon and Ista.