The perspective effect of wide-angle lenses in laparoscopes.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of perspective distortion of wide-angle lenses in laparoscopes on hand-eye coordination during endoscopic manipulation. METHODS Sixteen subjects repeatedly performed a standardized positioning task in a pelvi-trainer under two conditions. The subjects had no prior experience with endoscopic manipulation. In one condition, a wide-angle lens with considerable perspective distortion was used; in the other, a telephoto lens without perspective distortion was used. Task time and number of errors were measured. RESULTS Task time and the number of errors did not significantly increase in the condition with a wide-angle lens. CONCLUSIONS The perspective effect did not influence task performance in endoscopic manipulation in this experiment. Subjects indicated that they even preferred the wide-angle lens because its extreme perspective improved their perception of depth.