In Ep 11 of my SNEC x MEDI.CUE series, I sat down with Professor Jodhbir S Mehta to talk about what might be the next big thing in ophthalmology training: augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), especially in the operating theatre. We went into how newer microscope tech (including Leica systems and built-in OCT) plus 3D viewing can change how residents learn—because instead of guessing what the surgeon is seeing, trainees can literally see the same field on a 3D monitor with goggles, even from a distance. One point that really hit home for me is the “real-world” barrier: cost and reimbursement. Even if AR/VR reduces the learning curve and makes surgery safer to learn, it’s still hard to prove (and monetize) how much it improves outcomes, because patients usually assume you’re competent and don’t ask how many times you’ve done a procedure. We also compared modern simulation-based training to the old style—where people learned on pig eyes and then jumped into small parts of real surgery. My takeaway: in academic centers, AR/VR and simulators are already a tremendous education tool, but mainstream adoption will depend on showing value and making the economics work.