Using VR simulation in ophthalmology and optometry classrooms, the Eye Sim will allow students to authentically experience the vision of their future patients - improving their comprehension, understanding, patient empathy and diagnosis confidence.
Our Eye Sim simulates a wide range of eye conditions from glaucoma and retinal detachment to the set of colour deficiencies. Being able to experience these conditions in a range of virtual environments allows for a potent shift in the learning. Having a whole class of students gasp as the teacher activates some severe astigmatism is exciting and then having those same students trying to describe what they see and then self diagnose from there is a rich learning experience.
Project Details
Our EYE SIM project is now alive as version 2 having come from the previous iteration built in A-Frame to the new Unity build. The VR experience allows students to experience a wide range of eye conditions at various severities in various environments. There are several modes as well, the classroom where the teacher is in control, explore mode where the player can select things on their own and a tour mode where preset conditions and scenes can lead the player through a suite of content and conditions.
TEACHING & RESEARCH
The medicine cohort all experience the simulation in their ophthalmology classes where their teacher controls the experience and they are tasked with describing and analysing what they see to engage with eye conditions important to particular phases of the medicine program. The optometry academics are now adapting their teaching to bring in the simulation for their students as well.
Researchers within Vision Science are using the simulation as part of their research as well, testing new lenses and performing colour vision.
Seeing a class so transformed through its use of new technologies is very rewarding, the students are immersed in how the conditions impact their patients, this fuels empathy as well as a new way to 'see' these eye conditions.
TECHNOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT
The development team of staff and work integrated learning students are using the Unity game engine to create the 3D environments and the post-processing effects needed to simulate each of the eye conditions. Unity's networking is used to allow classes to run with the Meta Quest 3 VR headsets.
BLOG POST
Check out Sarah's post here as she reflects on her work for the project: A student’s perspective: co-developing a VR classroom experience
Videos
Eye Conditions
This is a list of the current eye conditions that the experience is able to simulate for the player:
- Myopia
- Hyperopia
- Astigmatism (Horizontal)
- Astigmatism (vertical)
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Retinal Detachment
- Macular Degeneration
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Homonymous Hemianopia
- Bitemporal Hemianopia
- Inferior Quadrantanopia
- Red-Green Colour Vision Deficiency
- Blue-Yellow Colour Vision Deficiency
- Total Colour Vision Deficiency
Credits
"The EyeSim, now in its 2nd iteration, fundamentally changes the way undergraduate health faculty students, and others, can be taught about the symptoms of common and important eye diseases. This form of experiential learning opens the door for the student to match their understanding of disease processes with the effect on the function of the ocular tissues. The students are able to experience how early stages of disease manifest in a patient's visual symptoms."
Dr Michael P Hennessy, Ophthalmologist, Conjoint Associate Professor, PoW Clinical School, Medicine and Health
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Shortlisted for the 2024 International QS Reimagine Education Awards. |
Key Academics and Educational Design
Michael Hennessy (Ophthalmologist, Conjoint Associate Professor, PoW Clinical School, Medicine and Health)
Jenny Hepschke (Ophthalmologist, Medicine and Health)
Naila Even (Biomedical Educational Developer, Medicine and Health)
Enoch Chan (Biomedical Educational Developer, Medicine and Health)
Design & Development
Tim Dodds (Immersive Technology Specialist and Developer, PVC Education)
Seyha Sok (Immersive Technology Specialist and Developer, PVC Education)
Chin Wang (Immersive Technology Specialist and Developer, PVC Education)
Graham Hannah (Manager of Immersive Technologies, PVC Education)
Work Integrated Learning Student Placements
Zixiang Lin (Software Engineering Thesis)
Felicia Ee (Software Engineering Thesis)
Sarah Mirza (Software Engineering Thesis)
Cheng-Ya (Mia) Wu (Design and Media Arts PEP)
Bowen Su (Software Engineering Thesis)
Get Involved
There are internal Teams Channels and working groups covering the development with ophthalmology and optometry. To join the team, get a demo or have your class use-case included just get in touch.
- Email: [email protected]