FundamentalVR today announced it is expanding its surgical specialty capabilities to include ophthalmology.

The Boston-based company said it will use its HapticVRTM technology architecture, designed to mimic the physical cues of surgical actions, medical tools, and tissue variations, to create data-driven medical educational simulations for ophthalmology as well as orthopedic device and pharmaceutical brands.

Fundamental VR said it will create tailored solutions for life sciences companies and has produced a cataract surgical simulator for the global eye care nongovernmental organization Orbis International. Orbis is deploying simulators in certain residency training programs and prospective digital training hubs to evaluate the impact on residents’ surgical skills and obtain user feedback to inform further software developments.

Future simulations may include incisions, trocar placement, scleral tissue manipulation, lens manipulation, lens implant insertion, posterior chamber manipulations, bimanual manipulation of the eyeball, and subretinal injections, according to FundamentalVR.

“Industry analysts now estimate adoption curves for immersive technologies have accelerated by around three years as COVID-19 permanently changes traditional teaching methods,” said FundamentalVR CEO Richard Vincent in a news release. “With the addition of ophthalmology capacities, we are meeting this increased demand with proven technology that allows medical device companies and medical educators to more effectively train the next generation of surgeons and bringing innovative new procedures and equipment to market permanently.”