UdeM Opens Quebec’s First Virtual Reality Optometry Lab in Partnership with FYidoctors | Visique

Thursday, October 3 2019 | 13 h 41 min | News

FYidoctors | Visique announced the launch of the Visique Simulation Lab in partnership with the Université de Montréal School of Optometry. The virtual reality simulation lab is the second of its kind to be constructed in Canada – the first, also in partnership with FYidoctors, being in Waterloo, Ontario.

Made possible by a $350,000 investment from FYidoctors | Visique, the lab will allow students of the Université de Montréal the unique opportunity to simulate both common and rare eye disease in a virtual reality setting. Through the investment, students will be able to master difficult techniques, see more conditions than they would in their current clinical experience, and instructors will be better able to evaluate their students.

“Our business is built off the idea of providing exceptional care above all else,” said Dr. Frédéric Marchand, Optometrist, Vice President of Visique and Université de Montréal alumnus. “Through this investment, we are taking it one step further and ensuring that future generations have access to the most modern training methods. It is of paramount importance for us to give back to the industry and help improve the educational experience for students, which will, in turn, help improve the quality of eyecare that is given to Canadians in the long run. I am personally thrilled to be able to do this in partnership with the Université de Montréal’s School of Optometry as that’s where I got my training.”

The learning lab’s simulation capabilities will provide students with hundreds of real patient cases, which will ultimately supplement their real-life clinical training.

“Thanks to FYidoctors | Visique, the Montreal School of Optometry will take advantage of the recent advances in educational technology to offer the best learning experience to our students and enrich continuous education of the Quebec optometric community,” said Christian Casanova, Director and Professor, School of Optometry, Université de Montréal. “The new virtual reality training laboratory will provide a rich, interactive, engaging educational context, thus supporting experiential learning-by-doing. By providing access to this new technology, FYidoctors | Visique demonstrates its commitment to education and health care, and to the development of the Montreal School of Optometry.”

The Visique Simulation Lab opened its doors for the Fall 2019 semester at the Université de Montréal.

Click HERE for the full press release.