 |
TianjinMay 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HMS Vision Inc. announced this week at Vision China 2026 the expansion of the HelpMeSee simulated ophthalmic surgery training program in collaboration with the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University (WMU). Since the partnership began in 2018, the program has achieved significant growth. With this latest expansion, Wenzhou Medical University has become the world’s largest operator of the HelpMeSee VR simulation training system for cataract surgery. The expanded center is equipped with six award-winning HelpMeSee ophthalmic surgery simulators, enhancing training capabilities for Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS) and Phacoemulsification (Phaco), and advancing cataract surgery education in China and the Asia-Pacific region.
With support from HMS Vision Inc., cataract specialists participate in instructor-led simulated cataract surgery training using HelpMeSee ophthalmic surgery simulators at the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Equipped with six simulators, the facility is now the world’s largest HelpMeSee training center.
This expansion strengthens the collaboration between HMS Vision Inc. (through its wholly-owned subsidiary Beijing HMS Vision Technical Consulting Co. Ltd.) and Wenzhou Medical University, combining local clinical and academic expertise with a standardized, instructor-led, competency-based curriculum. This partnership ensures that trainees receive a consistent, high-quality educational experience aligned with international best practices and helps address the surgical backlog. It is estimated that 17 to 20 million people in China suffer from vision impairment due to cataracts.¹
Leveraging advanced high-fidelity virtual reality technology, the HelpMeSee simulation training program provides an immersive haptic experience, enabling trainees to safely practice every step of cataract surgery—such as MSICS and Phaco—without compromising patient safety.
Professor Xu Xu, Director of the Ophthalmic Surgery Skills Training Center and Chief Physician, stated: “This expansion marks a significant advancement in Wenzhou Medical University’s surgical training capabilities.”
Dr. Yuan Yimin, Associate Professor and Director of the Education and Teaching Department at the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, added: “By expanding to six advanced HelpMeSee ophthalmic surgery simulators, we can enable more trainees to refine their skills through intensive simulated training, ultimately improving patient outcomes and meeting the growing demand for cataract treatment in China and globally.”
The Wenzhou Medical University training center is being expanded to support large-scale, instructor-led cataract training programs. Trainees can complete hundreds of simulated surgeries in a short period. This high-frequency repetitive training method enhances readiness for real surgical training, builds confidence, shortens training time, and complements traditional training models with objective, data-driven assessments.
As the global burden of cataract-related blindness and vision impairment continues to rise, the need for scalable, high-quality training solutions becomes increasingly urgent. The expanded Wenzhou Medical University facility will serve as a regional hub for training high-level cataract surgeons.
This milestone supports the ambitious mission of expanding access to cataract surgery training across Asia and beyond. By cultivating surgeons’ advanced technical skills in a risk-free environment, the program helps reduce preventable blindness and improve access to vision restoration care.
Through this collaboration, HMS Vision Inc. and Wenzhou Medical University reaffirm their commitment to innovation, education, and global health impact—positioning Wenzhou Medical University as a world-leading center of excellence in ophthalmic surgery training.
Source:
1 Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD 2019), Vision Loss Expert Group, published in The Lancet Global Health.
About HMS Vision Inc.
HMS Vision Inc. is a U.S.-based organization, and through its on-the-ground entity, Beijing HMS Vision Technical Consulting Co. Ltd., it is exclusively responsible for the authorized operation of the HelpMeSee simulated ophthalmic surgery training program in China. Through technology deployment, strategic partnerships, and collaboration with leading medical institutions, universities, and healthcare systems, HMS Vision is dedicated to advancing access to high-quality cataract care and supporting modern surgical training and scalable solutions to improve patient outcomes.
HMS Vision collaborates with the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center at Sun Yat-sen University, and He Eye Hospital to drive innovation in ophthalmology and help reduce preventable blindness in China. Beijing HMS Vision Technical Consulting Co. Ltd. promotes the HelpMeSee simulated ophthalmic surgery program across various healthcare institutions nationwide to enhance surgical proficiency, standardize best practices, and expand access to safe and cost-effective cataract surgery.
About Wenzhou Medical University
Wenzhou Medical University (WMU), located in the coastal city of Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province, is a renowned institution specializing in medical education and research. Founded in 1912, it has grown into a key university in Zhejiang Province with a distinguished national reputation.
Wenzhou Medical University boasts strong clinical medicine programs, with its Ophthalmology and Optometry discipline ranking among the top in China. The university also excels in pharmacy, nursing, and biomedical engineering. It currently enrolls over 20,000 full-time students, including a growing international student body from more than 80 countries and regions.
Wenzhou Medical University is known for its research achievements, particularly in ophthalmology, with its affiliated Eye Hospital serving as a benchmark institution in China. The university maintains close collaborations with numerous universities and institutions worldwide and offers English-taught degree programs in clinical medicine and ophthalmology and optometry.
With a modern campus, affiliated hospitals providing hands-on clinical training, and a commitment to innovation, Wenzhou Medical University has become a key hub for training future global healthcare professionals and researchers.