The development of a virtual reality training programme for ophthalmology: repeatability and reproducibility (part of the International Forum for Ophthalmic Simulation Studies)

G M Saleh, K Theodoraki, S Gillan, P Sullivan, F O'Sullivan, B Hussain, C Bunce, I Athanasiadis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the variability of performance among novice ophthalmic trainees in a range of repeated tasks using the Eyesi virtual reality (VR) simulator.

METHODS: Eighteen subjects undertook three attempts of five cataract specific and generic three-dimensional tasks: continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis, cracking and chopping, cataract navigation, bimanual cataract training, anti-tremor. Scores for each attempt were out of a maximum of 100 points. A non-parametric test was used to analyse the data, where a P-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Highly significant differences were found between the scores achieved in the first attempt and that during the second (P<0.0001) and third (P<0.0001) but not between the second and third attempt (P=0.65). There was no significant variability in the overall score between the users (P=0.1104) or in the difference between their highest and lowest score (P=0.3878). Highly significant differences between tasks were shown both in the overall score (P=0.0001) and in the difference between highest and lowest score (P=0.003).

CONCLUSION: This study, which is the first to quantify reproducibility of performance in entry level trainees using a VR tool, demonstrated significant intra-novice variability. The cohort of subjects performed equally overall in the range of tasks (no inter-novice variability) but each showed that performance varies significantly with the complexity of the task when using this high-fidelity instrument.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1269-74
Number of pages6
JournalEye (London, England)
Volume27
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2013

Keywords

  • Capsulorhexis
  • Cataract Extraction
  • Computer Simulation
  • Computer-Assisted Instruction
  • Education, Medical, Graduate
  • Educational Measurement
  • Humans
  • Ophthalmology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Statistics, Nonparametric

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