Simple Technology to Enhance Practice and Training in Ophthalmology: Experience with Automated Dupe A-P Trainer

Abstract

Background: All ophthalmology training units irrespective of resource capacity require simulation for surgical and non-surgical training as dry and/or wet labs before graduation to live patients; this is to ensure safety and competency in ophthalmology.1,2 Available simulators vary greatly in complexity and cost. They range from high fidelity, high-cost devices like the Eyesi® and Helpmesee®3 to moderate devices like the Kitaro®4 , Bionico®, Philips studio®; these are typically expensive for individual training units even in highly resourced centres. Low cost manually operated such as Idrees®5 eye surgical practice model are also available. This report describes the features and utilization of the first known automated, low fidelity practice head technology for surgical training in wet labs and some for clinical procedures, which would be most useful in most low resourced ophthalmology training units.