To the Editor:
We agree with the points raised by Dr Nairn et al. and that running a regular simulation-based surgical skill (“dry-lab”) session would enable safe and efficient acquisition of competence. This is why, through the Training Committee of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the Simulation lead and Surgical Skills lead have set all regions the target of ensuring simulation training in cataract complications, namely vitreous loss, is undertaken at least annually in each region for all trainees.
The Simulated Ocular Surgery Trials are two separate educational-intervention randomised controlled trials. The first of these, the OLIMPICS (ophthalmic learning and improvement initiative in cataract surgery) trial will be published early next year. These are the first ever prospective RCTs evaluating the utility of intense simulation-based surgical education versus conventional training alone in cataract and glaucoma surgery.
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Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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