HelpMeSee is launching two new simulation-based cataract surgery training partnerships for on-demand learning and hands-on experience at the following locations:
- University of Southern California (USC) / LA General Medical Center in Los Angeles, California
- University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) in Chicago, Illinois
First, a rundown on HelpMeSee.
As a not-for-profit 501(c)(3), HelpMeSee was co-founded by father-and-son duo Al and Jim Ueltschi—the former also co-founder of Orbis International and founder of FlightSafety International.
Its mission: To restore vision for people across the globe living with cataract-induced visual impairment and blindness.
- How it’s doing this: By developing and providing “scalable surgical eyecare simulation-based training solutions” that offer a customized, authentic experience of live surgery.
- A major component: Manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS), a low-cost, small-incision form of cataract extraction with a faster healing time
Let’s get into specifics on this simulation-based training.
HelpMeSee offers three simulation-based training courses (see here for the schedule) incorporating the HelpMeSee Eye Surgery Simulator:
- MSICS
- What it is: A four-day, virtual reality (VR) simulation-based course designed to develop and enhance MSICS surgical skills via over 24 hours of practice on a simulator and an interactive eBook.
- Phacoemulsification
- What it is: A five-day, comprehensive simulation course guided by expert instructors for practicing ophthalmologists, fellows, and residents—with an emphasis on hand-eye-foot coordination.
- Supplementary courses
- What they are: Four categories of courses designed to equip trainees with knowledge and skills for a more comprehensive understanding and skillset, preparing them for various surgical scenarios
- Posterior capsular rupture management courses
- Zonular dialysis management course
- Secondary intraocular (IOL) and small pupil management courses
- Suturing course
- What they are: Four categories of courses designed to equip trainees with knowledge and skills for a more comprehensive understanding and skillset, preparing them for various surgical scenarios
Nice! Now talk about its current presence.
With simulators and training centers around the world, the nonprofit partners with governments, universities, and other innovators to promote the use of eye surgery simulation training.
- These training centers are intended to target ophthalmic education advancements while also addressing the global prevalence of cataract blindness.
In the United States: The new locations in Los Angeles and Chicago join the already-established HelpMeSee SimLab in Jersey City, New Jersey.
- From a global perspective: Check out the six other locations in India (3), Mexico (1), Madagascar (1), and France (1).
About these new training sites … what will they offer?
As with its already-established locations, USC and its sites will integrate those four aforementioned course categories into their respective residency programs.
- Plus: Each site will also feature fully certified HelpMeSee instructors trained to “provide real-time feedback and personalized guidance,” according to the nonprofit.
And the intended result of the course integration?
Ideally, these courses are designed to provide residents with a safe, repeatable, and realistic environment to master their transferable cataract surgery skills, according to Brian Song, MD, MPH, residency program director of Ophthalmology at the USC Keck School of Medicine.
“Haptic feedback combined with instructor-led guidance ensures that our residents develop the hand-foot-eye coordination and problem-solving abilities required to tackle even the most challenging cataract cases,” stated Peter MacIntosh, director of the Ophthalmology Residency Program at UIC.
Very cool! Lastly, how can I learn more about this training?
Click here to get more information (or request a demo) of the simulation training offered in your region.
And if you’d like to support the cause, make a donation here.