New VR education program

The American Academy of Ophthalmology, in partnership with FundamentalVR, a leader in immersive surgical training, has announced the launch of the Academy’s VR Education program, an initiative that harnesses the power of virtual reality (VR) to transform ophthalmic education and surgical training. Supported by a $5 million grant from the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, the platform offers a free and open simulation platform for ophthalmologists and trainees around the world to expand their skill in diagnosing and treating eye diseases and conditions.

The first phase of the program focuses on pediatric ophthalmology, specifically retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), the leading cause of preventable blindness in children globally, affecting up to 30 percent of preterm infants in middle-income countries and between 5 percent and 8 percent of children in the United States, the announcement said.

However, the opportunity for trainees to learn how to properly examine and treat babies with ROP is limited, according to the announcement. Options are fewer outside of the United States, as many countries allow residents to perform only a limited number of procedures in children.