EyeMount 360: From an Award-Winning Idea to a New Era of Ophthalmic Surgical Training
Written by LVPEI Communications
Published 21st July 2026
Innovation in healthcare often begins with a challenge observed at the point of care.
For Dr Aravind Krishna V P, a postgraduate ophthalmology trainee at Aravind Eye Hospital, that challenge emerged during wet-lab surgical training. While animal-eye wet labs remain an essential component of ophthalmic education, the available eye mounts often fail to replicate the dynamic positioning and ergonomics encountered in real surgical environments.
Recognizing this gap, Dr Aravind conceptualized EyeMount 360 — a dynamic eye mounting system designed to bring greater realism, flexibility, and comfort to ophthalmic surgical training.
The innovation was presented at the LVPEI–AIOS Innovation Day 2025, a national platform established to support early-stage eye care innovations. Selected from more than 65 submissions from across India, EyeMount 360 received the Industry Special Recognition Award along with support for further innovation advancement.
Following the event, the concept entered a collaborative development journey between Aravind Eye Hospital and the Center for Technology Innovation (CFTI) at L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI). Combining clinical insight with engineering and design expertise, the teams worked together to transform the idea into a functional and reusable surgical training device.
The result was EyeMount 360 — a dynamic ophthalmic wet-lab training platform that allows surgeons to position and stabilize the eye in ways that more closely resemble real surgical conditions.
Why Existing Eye Mounts Fall Short
Wet-lab training plays a critical role in helping ophthalmologists develop microsurgical skills before entering the operating room. However, most existing eye mounts rely on static fixation methods that restrict movement of the globe.
As a result, trainees often practice in conditions that differ significantly from live surgery, where surgeons routinely reposition the eye to improve visualization, access, and ergonomics.
EyeMount 360 was designed to address this challenge.
A New Approach to Wet-Lab Simulation
At the heart of EyeMount 360 is a carefully engineered mechanism that combines stability with freedom of movement.
The system incorporates:
- A dedicated globe holder for biological training eyes
- A suction-assisted fixation mechanism that securely stabilizes the globe
- A 360-degree ball-joint assembly enabling multi-directional positioning
- Spring-loaded stabilization for controlled movement
- An ergonomic base that doubles as a hand-rest platform during microsurgery
Together, these features allow trainees to adjust eye position naturally while maintaining fixation throughout the procedure.
The outcome is a more realistic surgical training experience that better prepares learners for real-world operating conditions.
A Collaboration Between Two Leading Eye Institutions
EyeMount 360 demonstrates the power of clinician-led innovation supported by multidisciplinary collaboration.
The initial concept originated from Aravind Eye Hospital, driven by firsthand observations from surgical training environments. The engineering design, prototyping, refinement, and validation were carried out in collaboration with LVPEI’s Center for Technology Innovation.
This partnership highlights how India’s leading eye-care institutions can work together to solve practical challenges in ophthalmology and accelerate innovation from concept to implementation.
Looking Ahead
Every year, thousands of ophthalmologists around the world rely on wet laboratories to develop surgical competence and confidence.
EyeMount 360 represents a simple yet meaningful improvement to that learning journey. By enabling realistic globe positioning, improved ergonomics, and stable fixation, it helps bridge the gap between simulation and surgery.
What began as an idea presented at LVPEI–AIOS Innovation Day 2025 has evolved into a collaborative innovation with the potential to enhance ophthalmic surgical training programs across India and beyond.
Because better surgical outcomes begin with better surgical training.
