Students develop their cataract surgery skills using the EyeSi simulator. Credit Haag-Streit

A study evaluating the impact of the University of Sydney’s microsurgical skills course (MSC) on first-year ophthalmology trainees' cataract surgery performance found it accelerated early proficiency and improved patient safety.

The study compared the 2023–2024 ophthalmology cohort (in 2023, the MSC was made mandatory in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists Vocational Training Programme) with a 2022 cohort.

Among 112 trainees (intervention = 77; control = 35), 11,613 cataract surgeries were recorded during the first 12 months of training. At three months, trainees in the intervention cohort performed more cataract surgeries (36.2 ± 22.6 vs. 26.0 ± 17.4), assumed more senior roles in surgery, required fewer senior surgeon takeovers and had a lower rate of posterior capsule tear (PCT) compared to the control cohort (1.3% vs. 2.9%). By 12 months, cataract surgery numbers and PCT rates (1.4% vs. 1.8%) were similar, but the intervention cohort maintained a higher rate of leading surgical roles and less senior surgeon takeover.

The study was published in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.