Abstract
Purpose: :
To determine if ophthalmology surgical simulator use during ophthalmology residency training improves patient post-operative outcome in cataract surgery
Methods: :
29 residents were divided into simulator (N=13) and non-simulator (N=16) groups based on the use of the ophthalmology surgical simulator during their residency training. 158 cataract surgeries with residents as primary surgeons were retrospectively reviewed, 81 in the surgical simulator group, and 77 in the non-simulator group. Post-operative visual acuity, corneal edema, anterior chamber inflammation, and intraocular pressure were recorded. Each parameter was recorded on post-operative day 1, post-operative week 1, and post-operative month 1. Patients’ final best corrected visual acuity was also recorded. The visual acuity was calculated using the logMAR chart. Results of the two resident groups were compared using two-tailed T-tests.
Results: :
Mean post-operative visual acuity was found to be 0.53 (20/68), 0.42 (20/53), and 0.19 (20/31) at post-operative day 1, post-operative week 1, and final best corrected visual acuity, respectively, for the simulator group. For the non-simulator group, the same findings were 0.62 (20/83), 0.52 (20/66), and 0.20 (20/32) respectively. In the simulator group, the mean post-operative corneal edema was 0.73. 0.33, and 0.04 at POD#1, POW#1, and POM#1 respectively. For the non-simulator group, the values were 0.74, 0.32, and 0.06. The mean post-operative anterior chamber inflammation was 1.56, 0.63, and 0.22 in the simulator group on POD#1, POW#1, and POM#1. For the non-simulator group, the values were 1.49, 0.73, and 0.25 respectively. The mean post-operative intraocular pressure on POD#1, POW#1, and POM#1 were 18.64, 15.11, and 14.11 respectively for the simulator group. The same values for the non-simulator group were 20.53, 13.96, and 15.11. Two-tailed T-tests did not reveal a significant difference between the two groups on all parameters (p>0.05).
Conclusions: :
Residents who trained using the ophthalmology surgical simulator had similar patient post-operative outcomes as residents who did not in the following parameters: best corrected visual acuity, corneal edema, anterior chamber inflammation, and intraocular pressure. This study provides evidence that use of a surgical simulator during residency training does not change patient post-operative course in cataract surgery.
Keywords: cataract • training/teaching cataract surgery • treatment outcomes of cataract surgery