LAUSR

Despite the recent advances in minimally invasive glaucoma surgery trabeculectomy remains the gold standard surgical technique for glaucoma that is refractory to medical therapy. Following the refinement of the surgical technique good trabeculectomy outcomes with low rates of surgical complications can now be achieved, but intensive proactive postoperative care is often required [1]. Mastering these new techniques requires time and practice, but the number of trabeculectomy operations being performed in the UK is reducing [2], so access to surgical training for trainees is becoming more challenging. Using simulation and wet-lab models to enhance learning is therefore becoming increasingly important. Such models are commonplace in cataract surgery [3] but are limited for glaucoma surgery. Those models previously described include a formalin-prepared pig eye model [4]; however, this requires the sourcing of materials that can potentially be difficult to access and expensive. We therefore propose a new novel wet-lab model that is inexpensive and easily accessible using a green apple, cling film and disposable instruments.