Smartphone Ophthalmic Surgery recording for e-records and education

Surgical training in ophthalmology is challenging accounting for the difficulty in effectively showcasing the complexity and dexterity of movements required in a small operating field. Various types of in-line operating microscope attachments providing video recording capabilities have been in the market to enable surgical video recording, but their steep price-tag and maintenance requirements, can preclude their use especially in developing countries. Recent innovations, in mobile based video recording and transmission capabilities, can provide a convenient and cost-effective solution for surgical training.

For the purpose of this study, we used an iPhone 4s, ^[1] installed with a camera-enhancing app called FiLMic Pro-v58, as our primary device for video recording.

Smartphones^[2] can be a cheaper alternative to branded microscope video attachments, and the quality of video provided by them is comparable to their costlier counterparts. Ophthalmologists only need basic technical knowledge to setup such a system in their clinics or at academic institutions.