ABSTRACT
Purpose: Phacoemulsification surgery requires the use of both hands; however, some surgeons may not be comfortable using their non?dominant hand, especially in critical steps such as chopping. This work aims at assessing whether a virtual reality simulator can help cataract surgeons train their non?dominant hand using the capsulorhexis module. Methods: This was a prospective observational study including thirty ophthalmic surgeons; none of them had previous training on the EyeSi surgical simulator. Twenty?three were experienced, and seven were intermediate surgeons. Surgeons were asked to perform capsulorhexis three times using their dominant hand and then using their non?dominant hand. A performance score based on efficiency, target achievement, instrument handling, and tissue treatment was calculated by the simulator. Results: A significant improvement in the score of surgeons using their non?dominant hand from the first trial (69.57 ± 18.9) to the third trial (84.9 ± 9.2) (P < 0.001) was found, whereas such improvement was not noted with the dominant hand (P = 0.12). Twenty?six surgeons managed to reach 90% of the mean score achieved by dominant hand by using their non?dominant hand, 11 (36.7%) from the first trial, seven (23.3%) from the second, and eight (26.7%) from the third. Conclusion: Cataract surgeons showed significant improvement in the scores of their non?dominant hands with simulator training. Thus, it is possible to safely train non?dominant hands for difficult tasks away from the operating room, which would be a fruitful addition to residency training programs