Construct validity of a surgical simulator as a valid model for capsulorhexis training

PURPOSE: To compare the performance on the EYESi surgical simulator capsulorhexis training module between medical students and residents and experienced cataract surgeons. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. DESIGN: Comparative case series. METHODS: The study comprised medical students and residents at the University of Iowa and experienced cataract surgeons. Neither group had experience with the simulator. Each participant completed 4 trials on the capsulorhexis module. RESULTS: The 7 experienced surgeons achieved statistically significantly better total scores than the 16 medical students and residents on the easy level and the medium level of the capsulorhexis module (P = .004 and P = .000007, respectively). Experienced surgeons achieved significantly better scores in all parameters at the medium level, with better centering (P = .001), less corneal injury (P = .02), fewer spikes (P = .03), less time operating without a red reflex (P = .0005), better roundness of the capsulorhexis (P = .003), and less time completing tasks (P = .008). CONCLUSION: The surgical simulator capsulorhexis module showed significant construct validity (P<.05).