Dear Editor:
I read with interest the study with the above title by Androwiki, which reported regarding the funduscopy simulator device, that published in the ABO February 2015 edition(11 Androwiki JE, Scravoni IA, Ricci LH, Fagundes DJ, Ferraz C A. Evaluation of a simulation tool in ophthalmology: application in teaching funduscopy. Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2015; 78(1):36-9.). My team and I published a similar article entitled "Teaching ophthalmology at university medical undergraduate course: comparative study of direct ophthalmoscopy between conventional ophthalmoscope and wide field ophthalmoscope (panoptic) as evaluation method" in Revista Brasileira de Oftalmologia(22 Damasceno EF, Damasceno NA, Costa Filho AA. Ensino de oftalmologia na graduação médica: Estudo comparativo de aprendizado na oftalmoscopia direta com oftalmoscópio convencional e de campo amplo (Panoptic). Rev Bras Oftalmol. 2009; 68(4):231-6.).
We agree with the authors that teaching funduscopy through a new type of device is feasible; however, some considerations are required.
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a) In ophthalmology, the teaching of the beginners may be complicated by eye fundus difficulties, such as high-refraction errors, small pupils, and lens opacities. The same difficulties are faced among physicians in other specialties(22 Damasceno EF, Damasceno NA, Costa Filho AA. Ensino de oftalmologia na graduação médica: Estudo comparativo de aprendizado na oftalmoscopia direta com oftalmoscópio convencional e de campo amplo (Panoptic). Rev Bras Oftalmol. 2009; 68(4):231-6.,44 Lippa LM. Medical student education. Ophthalmology. 2006;113(5):890-1.).
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b) Limitations with simulators are known in several subspecialties (mainly surgical ones); however, in this particular study, the association with a wide-field direct ophthalmoscope could facilitate this type of teaching(22 Damasceno EF, Damasceno NA, Costa Filho AA. Ensino de oftalmologia na graduação médica: Estudo comparativo de aprendizado na oftalmoscopia direta com oftalmoscópio convencional e de campo amplo (Panoptic). Rev Bras Oftalmol. 2009; 68(4):231-6.,33 McComiskie JE, Greer RM, Gole GA. Panoptic versus conventional ophthalmoscope. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol. 2004;32(3):238-42.).
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Funding: No specific financial support was available for this study.
REFERENCES
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1Androwiki JE, Scravoni IA, Ricci LH, Fagundes DJ, Ferraz C A. Evaluation of a simulation tool in ophthalmology: application in teaching funduscopy. Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2015; 78(1):36-9.
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2Damasceno EF, Damasceno NA, Costa Filho AA. Ensino de oftalmologia na graduação médica: Estudo comparativo de aprendizado na oftalmoscopia direta com oftalmoscópio convencional e de campo amplo (Panoptic). Rev Bras Oftalmol. 2009; 68(4):231-6.
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3McComiskie JE, Greer RM, Gole GA. Panoptic versus conventional ophthalmoscope. Clin Experiment Ophthalmol. 2004;32(3):238-42.
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4Lippa LM. Medical student education. Ophthalmology. 2006;113(5):890-1.
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
Mar-Apr 2016
History
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Received
30 Nov 2015 -
Accepted
02 Dec 2015
