Keratoprosthesis as an aid to learning surgical techniques on cadaver eyes.

Practice on cadaver eyes can be an essential aid for residents and inexperienced surgeons in learning operative techniques. Cadaver eyes, however, have been of only limited utility for teaching highly complicated procedures because of the obscuring of intraocular structures caused by the rapid post mortem onset of corneal swelling. We have overcome this problem by the use of a silicone keratoprosthesis that provides an excellent view of all intraocular tissues. Our model allows the use of donor eyes unsuitable for transplantation and facilitates the learning of even complicated cataract surgery, and vitrectomy techniques on the human eye. It thus can reduce the rate of complications in operations on patients.