Preoperative and postoperative levels of anxiety according to the visual acuity of patients undergoing cataract surgery

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate preoperative and postoperative levels of anxiety according to visual acuity and sociodemographic characteristics in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Materials and Methods: The study included 100 patients who were planned to undergo cataract surgery because of reduced vision. One day preoperatively and at one month postoperatively, all the patients were administered the sociodemographic data form and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI TX-1 and TX-2). All the patients underwent a detailed preoperative and postoperative ophthalmological examination. Visual acuity was evaluated with a logMAR Chart.

Results: The visual acuity on the LogMAR chart of the patients was mean 1.1±0.3 preoperatively and 0.1±0.1 postoperatively. Visual acuity was determined to have significantly increased postoperatively and the STAI FORM TX-2 points significantly decreased (p=0.04). The postoperative decrease in the LogMAR chart was statistically significant (p<0.001). A significant positive correlation was determined between the preoperative STAI FORM TX-1 points and the preoperative STAI FORM TX-2 points. The mean STAI FORM TX-1 points of the patients with an education level of middle school or below were found to be significantly higher than those of patients educated to university level or higher (p=0.012). The visual acuity (LogMAR) of patients who had previously received psychiatric treatment were found to be significantly lower than those of patients who had not received any psychiatric drug treatment (p=0.027).

Conclusion: Patients with cataracts are anxious in a general sense, independently of surgery. The increase in vision after cataract surgery is important in respect of decreasing levels of trait anxiety.