Surgeons can learn their skills more quickly if they are taught how to control their eye movements, according to research led by the University of Exeter.
Apparently, the research points to the fact that that trainee surgeons will learn technical surgical skills much more quickly and will be better able to deal with the stress of the operating theatre if they are taught to mimic the eye movements of experts. Working in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong, the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and the Horizon training centre Torbay, the University of Exeter team identified differences in the eye movements of expert and novice surgeons. They devised a gaze training programme, which taught the novices the ‘expert’ visual control patterns. This enabled them to learn technical skills more quickly than their fellow students and perform these skills in distracting conditions similar to the operating room. A total of 30 medical students were divided into three groups, each undertaking a different type of training. The ‘gaze trained’ group of students was shown a video, captured by an eye tracker, displaying the visual control of an experienced surgeon. The footage highlighted exactly where and when the surgeon’s eyes were fixed during a simulated surgical task. The students then conducted the task themselves, wearing the same eye-tracking device. During the task they were encouraged to adopt the same eye movements as those of the expert surgeon. Students learned that successful surgeons ‘lock’ their eyes to a critical location while performing complex movements using surgical instruments. This prevents them from tracking the tip of the surgical tool, helping them to be accurate and avoid being distracted. After repeating the task a number of times, the students’ eye movements soon mimicked those of a far more experienced surgeon. Members of the other groups, who were either taught how to move the surgical instruments or were left to their own devices, did not learn as quickly. Those students’ performance broke down when they were put into conditions that simulated the environment of the operating theatre and they needed to multi-task. The research team is now analysing the eye movements of surgeons performing ‘real life’ operations and are working to develop a software training package that will automatically guide trainees to adopt surgeons eye movements. Commenting on the research, Mr John McGrath, consultant surgeon at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, said: “The use of simulators has become increasingly common during surgical training to ensure that trainee surgeons have reached a safe level of competency before performing procedures. “Focusing on surgeons’ eye movements has resulted in a reduction in the time taken to learn specific procedures and, more importantly, demonstrated that their skills are less likely to break down under pressure. Our current work has now moved into the operating theatre to ensure that patients will benefit from the advances in surgical training and surgical safety.”
