Use of virtual reality equipment to assess the manual dexterity of applicants for ophthalmology residency

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the microsurgery dexterity outcomes of two sequential training evaluations using virtual reality technology. Methods: This was a multicenter cross-sectional study of all candidates who were accepted as first-year residents at one of six ophthalmology teaching institutions. Residents were subjected to two identical series of standardized, reproducible dexterity tests using virtual reality equipment (Eyesi®): "sequence 1" and "sequence 2." Each sequence consisted of five difficulty levels that were assessed using a proprietary scoring system. The data were tested for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test. The differences between tests in sequences 1 and 2 were evaluated using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: The data did not follow a normal distribution. There were improvements from sequence 1 in all the tests (all p values<0.05). The sum of all scores (total score) improved from sequence 1 (median= 152.50) to sequence 2 (median 256.00; p<0.001). There was no correlation between the delta sequence values and the average scores. Conclusion: Two sequential training evaluations using virtual reality technology showed relevant improvement in quantifications of microsurgery dexterity. This information should be considered if virtual reality approaches are used for testing purposes, as previous experience may lead to improved test results.