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Factors affecting pain in patients undergoing bilateral cataract surgery

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Abstract

Purpose

To compare the perceived pain and estimated operative duration among patients undergoing bilateral cataract surgery and to demonstrate correlations with the surgical interval and the demographic and medical characteristics of the patients.

Methods

A total of 466 patients with cataract who underwent ocular surgery were included. The patients estimated the perceived operative duration and pain they felt during the operation at two times, immediately after surgery and on the first postoperative day; pain was scored using a visual analog scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (unbearable pain). Patients undergoing bilateral surgeries were divided into four subgroups based on the interval between the two operations (1, 2, 4, or 6 weeks). The perceived pain score and the estimated operative duration were the primary outcomes.

Results

The pain scores were higher for the second surgery than for the first surgery both immediately after surgery (P = 0.043) and on the first postoperative day (P = 0.002). The estimated operative duration was longer for the second surgery (P = 0.001). Only patients who underwent the second surgery at an interval of 2 weeks perceived more pain both immediately and 1 day postoperatively (P = 0.002, P = 0.022) and a longer operative duration (P < 0.001). Gender, age, and education level might also influence the pain score.

Conclusions

Female patients, patients with a younger age, and patients with higher education level are likely to report more pain. Patients who require bilateral cataract surgery should not undergo the second surgery before an interval of 2 weeks.

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Data sharing statement

The total data of the study could be got on the ResMan platform (www.medresman.org) for 5 years (from 2018 to 2023).

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the patients enrolled in the trial and the nurses’ patience for those patients more painful.

Funding

The study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81870647).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Pei Liu and Shuoji Zhang have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Daping Hospital, Army Special Medical Center, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, People’s Republic of China

    Pei Liu, Shuoji Zhang, Zhao Geng & Jian Ye

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, People’s Republic of China

    Rongdi Yuan

  3. Chongqing, People’s Republic of China

    Pei Liu

Authors
  1. Pei Liu
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  2. Shuoji Zhang
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  3. Zhao Geng
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  4. Rongdi Yuan
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  5. Jian Ye
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Rongdi Yuan or Jian Ye.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the ethics committee of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Cite this article

Liu, P., Zhang, S., Geng, Z. et al. Factors affecting pain in patients undergoing bilateral cataract surgery. Int Ophthalmol 40, 297–303 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-019-01178-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-019-01178-6

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