Use of the Eyesi virtual reality simulator during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and its relevance to phaco-emulsification surgery future training planning

Background: This study aimed to a find a consensus on the validity of a new hybrid surgical training scheme at times of pandemics and post-pandemics including: (1) identifying a minimum number of surgical sessions sufficient for steady surgical progression using the Eyesi virtual reality (VR) simulator alone during the pandemic, and live surgery sessions alone or in combination with the Eyesi VR simulator in the post-pandemic phase; and (2) predicting surgical performance and progression using the Eyesi VR simulator inbuilt modular reports and their role and validity as alternatives to surgical supervisor reports during pandemics.Method: A prospective study using a tailored, structured anonymized questionnaire of the mixed open questions and closed questions type was carried out over two years from March 2020 to March 2022.Results: Fifty-eight responses favoured one surgical session as sufficient to maintain and improve surgical performance using the Eyesi VR simulator alone or live surgery alone or combination of both; fifty responses favoured two surgical sessions.In all 108 responses, participants indicated that a combination of practice on the Eyesi VR simulator and live surgery is advantageous in improving surgical skills versus live surgery practice only.Additionally, 79 responded that practice on the Eyesi VR simulator alone might enhance the acquisition of surgical skills and improve performance, which can predict in parallel an improved surgical performance on live cases, but 29 responses did not support this notion.Conclusions: A dedicated 1-2 sessions of practice on a surgical Eyesi VR simulator alone during pandemics, or a combination of the Eyesi VR simulator and live surgical cases or sole live surgery during post-pandemic times, might be an integral part of the training curriculum to ensure a steady improvement in the acquisition of surgical skills.The use of the Eyesi VR simulator modular reports might be helpful as an alternative to surgical supervisor reports at times of pandemics or in conjunction with these at post-pandemic times.