Comparing the effectiveness of different postoperative counseling methods for post-keratoplasty patients

PURPOSE: To compare various counseling methods for improving patient education, compliance, and administration of eye drops prescribed for post-optical keratoplasty patients and assess the most efficient counseling method. METHODS: A prospective, questionnaire-based pilot study was conducted among 60 post-optical keratoplasty patients who were randomly assigned into three groups for postoperative eye drop counseling, namely group 1 (video counseling), group 2 (chart counseling), and group 3 (verbal counseling at Cornea department). The questionnaire was answered by the patients/attendants applying the eye drops on the first 3 consecutive visits. McNemar–Bowker test was used to compare responses in each group and the Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare responses among the three groups. The Institutional Ethics Committee of Aravind Eye Hospital, Tirunelveli (Registration number ECR 816/Inst/Tn/2016) approved this study. RESULTS: Results demonstrated improvement in various categories assessed regarding drop administration in all three groups, which assessed patients’ knowledge, attitude, and hygiene. Although all three groups showed improvements during subsequent follow-up visits, the video-counseling method was found to be an effective means of communication. CONCLUSION: Our study emphasizes that the nonverbal and noncontact means of communication by video demonstration would be an effective way of counseling. It can be considered in the present scenario of the pandemic as well.