The Utility of Virtual Reality in Ophthalmology: A Review.
| Title: | The Utility of Virtual Reality in Ophthalmology: A Review. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Ahuja AS; Department of Ophthalmology, Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA.; Paredes Iii AA; Department of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Boca Raton, FL, USA.; Eisel MLS; Department of Medicine, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, USA.; Ahuja SA; Department of Medicine, Windsor University School of Medicine, Oakbrook, IL, USA.; Wagner IV; Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA.; Vasu P; School of Medicine, Creighton University, Phoenix, AZ, USA.; Dorairaj S; Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA.; Miller D; Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA.; Abubaker Y; Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA. |
| Source: | Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) [Clin Ophthalmol] 2025 May 21; Vol. 19, pp. 1683-1692. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 May 21 (Print Publication: 2025). |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article; Review |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Dove Medical Press Country of Publication: New Zealand NLM ID: 101321512 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 1177-5467 (Print) Linking ISSN: 11775467 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Clin Ophthalmol Subsets: PubMed not MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: Auckland : Dove Medical Press, c2007- |
| Abstract: | Virtual reality (VR) has been implemented in multiple facets of healthcare and the study of medicine. In the field of ophthalmology, VR facilitates surgical and non-surgical training while assisting in diagnosis and treatment. Our goal was to explore the applications and feasibility of VR in ophthalmology. We performed a search of the literature on the journal database PubMed using keywords relevant to VR integration in ophthalmological medicine. We included articles published since 2015 in this review of literature. The literature search yielded extensive applications of VR in medical training, as well as techniques for efficient diagnosis and screening using VR models including Eyesi and HelpMeSee. VR training simulators have decreased surgical error rates and improved technique in cataract surgery. In vitreoretinal surgery, a VR vitreoretinal training simulator resulted in improved surgical performance in both training and experienced surgeons. VR is also utilized in non-surgical training through an app to develop fundoscopy skills and slit-lamp training for medical students. Additionally, VR is used in diagnosis, screening, and treatment of glaucoma, amblyopia, and strabismus. VR has also improved visual field defects in patients with glaucoma and treated amblyopia in children who did not improve with patching. Barriers to the widespread implementation of VR include high initial capital cost, limited sample sizes for research studies, and discrepancies between VR visual field and real-world clinical practice. Future research in streamlining VR methods to be more accessible and cost-effective has the potential to overcome these challenges. With further investigation into the logistics of VR applications, this technology could improve surgical outcomes and diagnostic accuracy.; (© 2025 Ahuja et al.) |
| Competing Interests: | All authors report no conflicts of interest in this work. |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: amblyopia; cataract surgery; glaucoma; ophthalmology; virtual reality; vitreoretinal surgery |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20250526 Latest Revision: 20250527 |
| Update Code: | 20260130 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC12103849 |
| DOI: | 10.2147/OPTH.S517974 |
| PMID: | 40417137 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Journal Article; Review