Advances in the application of virtual reality technology in ophthalmic surgical skills training

Conventional surgical teaching techniques face several challenges, highlighting a necessity for ongoing innovation in ophthalmology education to align with the evolving demands of clinical practice. The recent rapid advancement of computer technology has enabled the integration of virtual reality (VR) into medical training, thereby revolutionizing ophthalmic surgical education through VR-based educational methods. VR technology offers a safe, risk-free environment for trainees to practice repeatedly, enhancing surgical skills and accelerating the learning curve without compromising patient safety. This research outlines the application of VR technology in ophthalmic surgical skills training, particularly in cataract and vitreoretinal surgery. Including assessing the effectiveness of intraocular surgery training systems, evaluating skills transfer to the operating room, comparing it with wet lab cataract surgery training, and enhancing non-dominant hand training for cataract surgery, among other aspects. Additionally, this paper will identify the limitations of VR technology in ocular surgical skills training, offer improvement strategies, and detail the advantages and prospects, with the objective of guiding subsequent researchers.