OpSim is an advanced ophthalmic surgical simulator designed to provide medical residents with a realistic and controlled environment for practicing cataract surgery. This innovative platform enables residents to train individually or under the supervision of a mentor, keeping patients safely out of operating rooms while honing essential skills. The simulator replicates a practical, repeatable, and measurable intraocular surgical environment that is difficult to replicate in traditional wet lab settings.
Using a variety of modules and specialized tools, such as cataract surgery handpieces (including forceps, cystotome, and phaco instruments), residents learn how to manipulate instruments in the eye, pivot them at the wound, and avoid accidental injury to the cornea or crystalline lens. This allows trainees to improve the efficiency of their intraocular manipulations and enhances their precision in performing delicate tasks.
OpSim serves as an ideal platform for training beginners in primary skills like microscope usage, handling hand tremors, forceps manipulation, and phacoemulsification. It also helps them master basic surgical techniques such as capsulorhexis, D&C, and more advanced procedures like step-by-step capsulorhexis. The simulator’s intuitive interface provides residents with the opportunity to learn how to handle the surgical handpiece while maintaining red reflexes during surgery. Instant feedback after each training segment helps trainees refine their skills, and detailed reports are provided to evaluate their development over time.
Key components of OpSim include a surgery interface head that simulates the patient’s eye during surgery, allowing residents to practice eye manipulation. The adjustable stereo vision system ensures ergonomic comfort while using the microscope, and the control touch screen allows mentors to observe the surgical process and provide guidance. The stereo microscopic unit creates a 3D view, enhancing depth perception, while the instrument foot pedal controls the ultrasonic injection and forceps. Additionally, the microscope foot switch prepares the optimal view for surgery, and the simulator handpieces are equipped with hand-tracking systems to mimic real surgical instruments.
OpSim is transforming how cataract surgery is taught, offering a safe, immersive, and efficient training solution for residents, ultimately improving surgical outcomes and reducing errors during actual procedures.
