Visual Feedback Enabled Training Mannequin for Ophthalmic Blocks: An Evaluative Study

Recently, a training mannequin suitable for ophthalmic blocks has been developed. It provides a new feature of visual feedback to the trainee. A validation of the efficacy of this training system with needle angle visualization, ocular structure proximity, and procedural warning features was conducted in an evaluative study with 41 participants; 21 post graduate trainees and 20 ophthalmic consultants from a tertiary ophthalmic care facility in Chennai, India. The participant's performance was evaluated and analyzed using an appropriate scoring scheme in two sessions with and without visual feedback. The participants were also requested to provide feedback on the anatomical likeness and usage. A two tailed signed rank Wilcoxon test verified the statistical significance of the visual feedback (Pz(4.55, 0.05)= 0.9999, P < 0.001). The mean score of the participants showed an increase 58.86% and 25.5% for graduate trainee and consultants respectively and a mean reduction of 85.41% in the warning indications provided was also substantiated the efficacy of the visual feedback.