Gaze characteristics of video watching in a surgical setting

Observing surgical videos has been integrated intensively into surgical education. We test whether video watching can elicit the same eye motion pattern of an observer as the operator in performing the surgical procedure. While observing the task performed using tools, subjects started to move their eyes off the previous target 0.7 s after the tool but reached the next target 1.5 s before the tool. These two events in observing occurred approximately 0.5 s after times in operating. Fixations performed while observing the video were often shorter than while performing, especially before the tool touched the target. Participants in observing were primarily checking outcomes of tool movement; differing to actively collecting information on the target for guiding tool movement during task operating. This result has indication for developing new strategies of improving education outcomes from video watching.