The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and Fundamental VR (FVR) are launching the VR (virtual reality) Education program.
The announcement was made during this weekend’s 2024 annual AAO meeting in Chicago, Illinois.
Let’s get a refresh on Fundamental VR.
The London, England-based immersive simulation is designed for healthcare professionals—including ophthalmic surgeons—to advance their skill-transfer and surgical proficiency via two major applications:
- VR
- Mixed reality (MR)
Explain how it’s doing that.
It all comes down to FVR’s Fundamental Surgery platform.
What that does: Provides surgeons with a “scalable, portable (via a headset), and collaborative solution” that allows them to feature an unlimited number of multi-users to more thoroughly rehearse medical and surgical procedures.
Tell me more.
The platform involves three immersive systems:
- HapticVR
- Patented kinesthetic haptic systems for accurately stimulating sensations of “bone textures, muscle, and soft tissue” as well as how they interact with surgical tools and medical devices.
- The intent behind this: To accelerate the rate of skills acquisition (by a reported 40% over non-haptic training) by allowing surgeons to practice and hone their precision skills in a safe, secure, and measurable environment.
- Patented kinesthetic haptic systems for accurately stimulating sensations of “bone textures, muscle, and soft tissue” as well as how they interact with surgical tools and medical devices.
- CollaborationVR
- With multi-user capabilities, this training environment features ready-to-use virtual spaces that enable surgeons to share and capture content such as pre-recorded videos, live feeds, images, and presentations to colleagues.
- As a bonus:
- Users can collaborate on a shared whiteboard to annotate notes using market pans and laser pointers—similar to in a physical training or meeting setting.
- Surgeons can practice their skills using virtual replicas of medical instruments and equipment.
- As a bonus:
- With multi-user capabilities, this training environment features ready-to-use virtual spaces that enable surgeons to share and capture content such as pre-recorded videos, live feeds, images, and presentations to colleagues.
- Standalone VR
- This compact training system provides procedural rehearsal and situational awareness via a standalone VR headset device while tracking and evaluating the performance of each surgical step.
- As a bonus: All data gathered via this device is funneled into a data dashboard with real-time and artificial intelligence-based insights.
- This compact training system provides procedural rehearsal and situational awareness via a standalone VR headset device while tracking and evaluating the performance of each surgical step.
Now talk about this partnership.
Similar to last year’s partnership announcement, the collaborators are working to provide a “free and open simulation platform” for both ophthalmologists and those in training across the globe.
The goal: To expand these clinicians’ skills for diagnosing and treating ocular diseases and conditions.
And where is the funding from this coming from?
The Knights Templar Eye Foundation (KTEF)—a nonprofit organization dedicated toward improving vision—which awarded the duo a $5 million grant.
- To note: The basis for this stems from the KTEF Pediatric Ophthalmology Pediatric VR Simulation Program, a first-of-its-kind education initiative.
Give me a rundown on this program.
The KTEF-supported program offers “free, open, cutting-edge training” to residents, trainees, and practicing ophthalmologists via a simulated and safe learning environment using VR headsets and other technologies (ie: other hardware and web browsers).
- Its purpose: To target pediatric eye care via a virtual ecosystem and ophthalmic patient encounter simulations.
So what’s the initial focus for it?
The initiative’s first phase is designed exclusively for the treatment of pediatrics— specifically, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP )—along with simulating the performance of ocular procedures such as strabismus surgery.
And how is it doing this?
Via this VR simulator, which allows clinicians to diagnose and treat ROP by using select techniques within an immersive and life-like virtual reality.
These techniques include:
- Indirect ophthalmoscopy
- Laser therapy
- Intravitreal injections
As a bonus: Both independent practice and multi-user guided instructions are available for “comprehensive learning for trainees at all levels.”
Nice! So what’s the benefit of this for surgeons?
Aside from accelerated competency, this immersive environment:
- Cuts down on potential complications with infant patients
- Allows surgeons to train from anywhere
- Provides detailed analytics with personalized feedback
Per FVR Co-Founder and CEO Richard Vincent, using VR technology enables ophthalmologists to be equipped with “the tools to learn and practice safely, accelerating their expertise and confidence while ultimately reducing complications in infants at risk of blindness.”
Is there any real-world application of this program yet?
There is! The collaborators noted that Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, was one of a select few resident programs to test it out.The university’s Douglas Rhee, MD, professor and chair of the department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, emphasized the superior quality of the virtual component .
Speaking of applications … how about clinical data?
There’s evidence! In fact, FVR has noted continued research (as recent as this year)into the use and advantages of VR simulation —ie: robotic surgery—for various surgical procedures.
This “immersive virtual reality” (IVR) simulators have been found to enable “cost-effective, portable, and realistic training” in a contained environment.
And compared to standard VR?
“IVR provides a continuous, scaled environment that can simulate the full extent of sensory stimuli perceived by users in the theater environment,” investigators have stated.
Even further: This training method is also gaining notable popularity as a replacement or supplement to video learning for surgical training.
And any plans to expand into other therapeutic areas in the future?
Those are definitely in the works! The AAO stated it expects the program to include additional modules in key areas of pediatric ophthalmology—so stay tuned for that expansion in the near future.