Effect of Video Counselling Versus Verbal Counselling on Patient's experience during phacoemulsification under topical anaesthesia

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of video and verbal counselling on patients' undergoing phacoemulsification under topical anaesthesia. METHODS: This is a prospective randomized controlled trial conducted at Aravind Eye Care System, Pondicherry, India. All patients had a 15 ​min one-on-one verbal counselling covering surgical technique, implant options, anaesthesia and payment options one day prior to surgery. On the day of surgery, patients were randomized into two groups; in the first group, patients were provided with video counselling and in the second group, patients were given verbal counselling prior to undergoing phacoemulsification under topical anaesthesia. Measurements of blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, and the Likert-scale anxiety rating were collected at preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative time points. RESULTS: A group of 186 patients (aged 45–70 years) were provided video counselling via portable iPad before first-time phacoemulsification, and a second group of 186 patients underwent surgery with verbal counselling. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements were lower in both the video and verbally counselled groups during the intraoperative time point. Furthermore, during the intraoperative period, 123 (66.1%) video counselled patients felt relaxed compared to 119 (64%) patients who were provided verbal counselling (P ​= ​0.6636). Patient cooperation during surgery was excellent in 76(40.9%) video counselled patients and 67(36%) verbally counselled patients (P ​= ​0.3374). 25.8% and 21% (P ​= ​0.2703) of patients experienced no pain during surgery in the video and verbal counselled groups respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although measures such as pulse rate, respiratory rate and feelings of relaxation did not show significant differences among the two groups of video and verbal counselling, patients marked cooperation during surgery and furthermore, the level of anxiety is most reassuring.