- InSightVR education was associated with ATIOL selection in 57.1% of patients, compared with 28.4% among patients receiving standard counseling in the 609-patient retrospective multicenter analysis
- Most surveyed VR users reported improved understanding of IOL options, and 90% of surveyed VR-educated ATIOL recipients said their postoperative vision was similar to the simulation
A patient-specific virtual reality education platform was associated with increased selection of advanced-technology intraocular lenses (ATIOLs) and high levels of patient-reported understanding and postoperative expectation alignment among patients undergoing cataract surgery, according to a retrospective multicenter study.
The study, “Patient Satisfaction with a Virtual Reality Education Tool for Advanced Technology Intraocular Lenses: A Retrospective Multi-Center Analysis,” was published in Patient Preference and Adherence and evaluated GreenMan Vision’s InSightVR platform.1
Investigators analyzed data from 609 patients evaluated for cataract surgery at 5 ophthalmology centers in the United States. Of these patients, 289 received preoperative education using GreenMan’s InSightVR, while 320 received standard verbal counseling from providers.
ATIOL selection was significantly higher among patients who used the VR platform. In the InSightVR group, 165 of 289 patients (57.1%) selected an ATIOL, compared with 91 of 320 patients (28.4%) who received standard education (P<.001). The findings represent an association rather than evidence that VR education caused the difference in lens selection because the study was retrospective and nonrandomized.
InSightVR uses patient-specific biometry and immersive scenarios to simulate potential postoperative vision with different IOL options, including monofocal, toric, multifocal, extended-depth-of-focus, and adjustable lenses. The platform also can simulate monovision by independently controlling the visual experience for each eye.
Among respondents in the VR group, 88% reported that the simulation improved their understanding of differences among IOL options, while another 10% said it helped somewhat. Additionally, 83.6% described the VR headset as easy or very easy to use. Approximately 3 months after surgery, 90% of surveyed VR-educated patients who selected ATIOLs reported that their postoperative vision was similar to the vision they had experienced in the simulation. Ninety percent of surveyed patients in the VR group also said they would recommend the educational experience to friends or family undergoing cataract surgery.
“Cataract patients are asked to make a lasting decision about their vision based largely on concepts that can be difficult to explain with words or brochures alone,” said Matt Larson, Chief Executive Officer of GreenMan. “To our knowledge, this is the first peer-reviewed study to demonstrate an association between the use of a specific software-based visual education platform and significantly higher patient selection of advanced-technology IOLs.”
Michael Greenwood, MD, study co-author, cataract surgeon, and co-founder of GreenMan Vision, emphasized the potential role of the technology in shared decision-making.
“The most meaningful finding is not simply that more patients selected an advanced-technology lens; it is that patients appeared to better understand the choices and tradeoffs involved,” Dr. Greenwood said. “For cataract practices, a standardized visual experience can support the entire care team and help patients participate more actively in shared decision-making.”
The authors noted that the goal of the VR experience is to support informed, preference-aligned decision-making rather than direct patients toward a particular IOL category. According to the company, some patients who selected monofocal IOLs reported that the simulation helped confirm that choice for their individual visual needs.
The study also explored the platform’s potential integration into clinical workflow. The VR experience generally required 5 to 10 minutes and could be facilitated by a trained technician while patients were dilating.
The investigators acknowledged several limitations, including the retrospective, nonrandomized study design and the potential for selection, recall, and nonresponse bias. Differences among participating centers also could have influenced the findings, and postoperative survey data were available for only a subset of the overall study population. The authors called for prospective, randomized studies that include objective assessments of patient knowledge, measurements of consultation time, and longer-term patient-reported outcomes to further evaluate the role of VR-based education in cataract surgery counseling.
GreenMan Vision is scheduled to demonstrate InSightVR at the 2026 American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting at booth 4142.
