Celebrating the micro-skills ophthalmology needs

The 14^th and 15^th Down Under Microsurgical Skills courses were completed in the Sight for Life Foundation Laboratory at Sydney Hospital in January. More than 30 Australian and seven Kiwi first-year vocational trainee registrars attended three days of exhaustive microsurgical training. This followed the two-day Registrar Eye Camp, which introduced new training registrars to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmology (RANZCO) to detail the training years ahead of them.

Luckily for those attending the microsurgical skills courses, the Sydney weather was kind, without the often-sweltering heat. Most, however, were just pleased to have gained a place, with one registrar commenting, “Getting entry to the course was harder than getting a Taylor Swift ticket.”

Microskills Course 2022 By Dr Rob Jones — Credit: Dr Rob Jones

Once again, the highlights for attendees were working on human cadavers’ and pigs’ eyes, all under detailed supervision but with the ability to work with no time constraints or pressure. New trainee Dr Nic Theis said, “The microsurgical skills course was an astoundingly well run, high-yield and invaluable early-career opportunity for first-year trainees. Having one-on-one supervision with consultant ophthalmologists enabled us to establish excellent surgical habits before embarking on the training journey. It was an absolute highlight!”

Another new trainee, Kiwi Dr Lize Angelo, said she couldn’t rate the course highly enough. “I was surprised with the level of resources that were provided, including cadaver specimens for plastics procedures such as practising canthotomy and cantholysis, bolster tarsorrhaphy and strabismus surgery. Kitaro kits, phaco machines, pigs’ eyes and the EyeSi simulator were supplied to practise cataract surgery and penetrating eye injury repair with an almost one-to-one ratio of consultant to registrar supervision, as well as endless advice.” Although it was an intense few days, she said, she now feels well prepared and supported to start her ophthalmology training journey.

As co-designers and convenors of the course, myself, Dr Yves Kerdraon and Associate Professor Con Petsoglou thought both groups this year were excellent, very teachable and, importantly, very responsive to learning. Sir William Osler, the great Canadian physician stated in 1914, “The whole art of medicine is in observation… but to educate the eye to see, the ear to hear and the finger to feel takes time, and to make a beginning, to start a (person) on the right path, is all that you can do.” So this is what we endeavour to do on this course – teach the candidates the essentials of eye microsurgery and get them on their way. Given this year’s candidates, I am sure the future of eye surgery in both New Zealand and Australia is in good hands.

Microsurgical Skills 2025 Main — Trainers Drs Yves Kerdraon, Graham Wilson and Rob Jones at thecourse dinner

Associate Professor Graham Wilson is a Christchurch-based ophthalmologist and principal investigator (Vision) for the Dunedin Study. His research interests include Māori eye health, children’s eyes, population health and using OCT and other ophthalmic assessments as early biomarkers of brain injury.