Ohana One & Vuzix

Saving Lives Through Global Remote Surgical Training

Micro Case Study | Medical Education

Overview

Across the world, millions of people lack access to safe, timely surgical care due to a critical shortage of trained surgeons—especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Legal barriers, travel restrictions, and cost make it difficult for surgeons in these regions to receive advanced training and mentorship.

In response to this global challenge, Ohana One, in collaboration with Vuzix, Help Lightning, and TeleVU, created a scalable remote surgical training model using smart glasses. The program delivers real-time, high-quality surgical education and mentorship—anywhere in the world.

The Challenge

The global shortage of trained surgeons has been intensified by:

• Travel and visa restrictions

• High costs of in-person training

• Limited access to expert mentors

• COVID-19–related disruptions

• Geographic isolation of healthcare providers

Surgeons in LMICs often must leave their home countries for advanced education, reducing access to care in their own communities and limiting long-term skill development.

Ohana One identified the need for a remote, scalable, and high-fidelity surgical training solution that would allow surgeons to learn while remaining in their local hospitals.

The Vision

Ohana One’s mission is to bridge global gaps in surgical care by providing access to:

• Advanced surgical training

• Mentorship programs

• Innovative technology

• High-quality educational resources

The goal is simple but powerful:
enable surgeons to stay in their home countries, continue serving patients, and simultaneously build advanced surgical skills.

The Solution

Ohana One deployed Vuzix M400 Smart Glasses as the foundation of its Surgical Sight Program, delivering immersive, real-time remote surgical education.

How It Works

• Each participating surgeon receives a pair of Vuzix M400 smart glasses

• Surgeons are paired with a volunteer mentor surgeon who is an established expert in their field

• Using see-what-I-see video streaming, mentors observe procedures in real time

• Mentors provide live guidance, feedback, and instruction during surgeries

• All interactions are hands-free, high-resolution, and individualized

The system enables surgeons to receive expert guidance exactly when they need it—during real procedures.

Technology Stack

The solution combines:

• Vuzix M400 Smart Glasses for lightweight, comfortable, heads-up viewing

• Help Lightning and TeleVU software for real-time collaboration

• High-quality mobile video streaming

• Augmented reality–assisted surgical guidance

The result is a seamless mentor–mentee experience that feels natural, immediate, and clinically effective.

Real-World Impact

With the right tools in place, Ohana One’s program enables surgeons to:

• Continue offering critical services in their communities

• Learn new surgical techniques without leaving their hospitals

• Advance their education remotely

• Improve patient outcomes in underserved regions

Ultimately, more surgeons are trained—and more patients receive life-changing care.

Results (as of late 2021)

The Surgical Sight Program has delivered measurable global impact:

• 95 surgeons onboarded and active in the program

• 77 hospitals across six continents supporting Ohana One

• 41 countries served, reaching over 4.43 billion people

• 1,664 life-changing services provided by Ohana One’s international surgical aid program since 2019

• 44 full surgeries completed using Vuzix smart glasses with live mentor support

Why It Matters

This approach doesn’t just train surgeons—it builds sustainable healthcare capacity.

Instead of removing skilled professionals from underserved regions, Ohana One’s model:

• Keeps surgeons local

• Scales expertise globally

• Expands access to advanced surgical care

As Ohana One emphasizes:
more surgeons trained means more patients treated. It’s that simple.

Conclusion

The collaboration between Ohana One and Vuzix demonstrates how wearable technology can fundamentally transform medical education. By combining smart glasses with remote mentorship, the Surgical Sight Program delivers a practical, human-centered solution to one of healthcare’s most pressing challenges.

This is not future medicine—it’s happening now, saving lives around the world.