In China, many blind live in rural areas, but most of the eye doctors live in urban areas, which means most of the cataract patients cannot access treatment timely. According to statistics, there are approximately 17 million people in China suffering from moderate to severe visual impairment due to cataract blindness.  The disproportional distribution of ophthalmology clinics and surgeons caused a huge cataract backlog and due to the rapid growth of the aging population, the backlog will become bigger. Hence, HelpMeSee is building a sustainable solution to tackle this challenge.

HelpMeSee’s approach includes an MSICS Simulation-Based Training Programme, which will constitute a rigorous training program to train MSICS surgeons with the highest levels of quality assurance. This program will use HelpMeSee’s Eye Surgery Simulator and the Simulation-Based Learning System (SBLS) developed by HelpMeSee, to provide standardized training to create a safe and effective training environment for surgeons. The Pre-pilot project, in cooperation with the Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University of China, will enable selected eye professionals to get first-hand experiences on the simulators and equip them with the skills needed to provide instructions for future trainees and to explore and establish the most suitable surgical training methods for the existing ophthalmologists training system in China.

Simulation-based training will prove to be a more effective methodology to rapidly expand the ranks of doctors who can master cataract surgical skills and carry out large-scale vision recovery surgery in order to lay the foundation for the elimination of cataract blindness in China.

HelpMeSee is honored to receive a donation from NEX to support this program. The first phase of the “Pre-pilot project” will provide standardized training for surgical instructors, including HelpMeSee’s eBook Learning, Simulation-Based Training and Operational Training of Management System Applications, to build a concrete foundation for the development of the training programs in the future.

HelpMeSee shares Dr. Gao’s vision, a world where cataract blindness is no longer inevitable for so many. This dream will be realized in other countries as we expand our training programs and support the committed individuals who will have such a dramatic impact on the lives of their communities.  We need your support to make this difference.