EYE3DPHANTOM: A Novel 3-D-Printed Ophthalmic Phantom for Advanced Surgical Training

Simulation-based surgical training is essential in ophthalmology; however, existing eye models fail to accurately reproduce the anatomy and biomechanics of the posterior segment, thereby limiting their utility for advanced procedures. In this work, we developed Eye-3DP, ta layered multi-material 3D-printed posterior-segment phantom designed to reproduce the structure and the mechanical properties of the sclera, choroid, and retina. Unlike current synthetic or animal models, Eye-3DP provides a reproducible platform for practicing delicate steps crucial in subretinal drug delivery, supporting the formation of subretinal blebs, a delicate step crucial for training subretinal drug delivery. Mechanical testing confirmed a close similarity to biological tissues, and surgical validation with ophthalmic trainees demonstrated successful vitrectomy and subretinal injections. Eye-3DP represents a promising and ethically sustainable training platform for vitreoretinal surgery and subretinal drug delivery, potentially bridging a critical gap in ophthalmic education, although further validation is required to fully demonstrate its educational and clinical relevance.