Is “second eye syndrome” true? A prospective study in a tertiary eye care centre in Kerala
Nimmy George, K. GirijaABSTRACT
Purpose:
To study difference in pre operative anxiety, patient perception of duration of surgery, post operative pain and visual improvement following cataract surgery in first and second eyes.
Design:
Prospective observational study.
Methodology:
Patients with bilateral cataract undergoing phacoemulsification within 6 months interval by a single surgeon were selected. Pre operative anxiety was analyzed using Amsterdam preoperative anxiety and information scale (APAIS). Intraoperative patient cooperation was scored from 1 to 4. Post operative pain assessment was conducted using visual analogue scale (VAS). These three parameters were measured for two eyes separately and compared. Patients undergoing second eye surgery were also asked to compare the perceived duration of surgery and visual improvement on post operative day 1.
Results:
The mean APAIS score was 6.1 ± 2.5 for first eye surgery and 4.4 ± 1.2 for second eye surgery (P value <0.001). The average VAS was 1.0 ± 1.1 for first eye surgery and 0.4 ± 0.8 for second eye surgery (P value <0.001). Mean cooperation score was more for second eye surgery (3.8 ± 0.4) when compared to first eye surgery (3.6 ± 0.6, P value <0.001). More than half of the sample reported similar duration for both surgeries and similar vision improvement.
Conclusion:
Patient perception of anxiety, pain and time differs during the first and second eye surgeries.