Second Eye Syndrome: Patients’ Perspectives Regarding First Eye versus Second Eye Phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens Implantation Surgery

Asem Alqudah,1 Rami Al-Dwairi,1 Abdallah Sharayah,1 Nour Sufyan Al-Qudah,2 Yazan Salah Almustafa,2 Ahmad Al-Qudah,2 Diya’ Alharahsheh,2 Rahma Kamal Al Awam,2 Hashim Al-Qudah,2 Abdelwahab Aleshawi1 1Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Special Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Sc...

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Main Authors: Alqudah A, Al-Dwairi R, Sharayah A, Al-Qudah NS, Almustafa YS, Al-Qudah A, Alharahsheh D, Al Awam RK, Al-Qudah H, Aleshawi A
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Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2025-07-01
Series:Patient Preference and Adherence
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Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/second-eye-syndrome-patients-perspectives-regarding-first-eye-versus-s-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-PPA
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author Alqudah A
Al-Dwairi R
Sharayah A
Al-Qudah NS
Almustafa YS
Al-Qudah A
Alharahsheh D
Al Awam RK
Al-Qudah H
Aleshawi A
author_facet Alqudah A
Al-Dwairi R
Sharayah A
Al-Qudah NS
Almustafa YS
Al-Qudah A
Alharahsheh D
Al Awam RK
Al-Qudah H
Aleshawi A
author_sort Alqudah A
collection DOAJ
description Asem Alqudah,1 Rami Al-Dwairi,1 Abdallah Sharayah,1 Nour Sufyan Al-Qudah,2 Yazan Salah Almustafa,2 Ahmad Al-Qudah,2 Diya’ Alharahsheh,2 Rahma Kamal Al Awam,2 Hashim Al-Qudah,2 Abdelwahab Aleshawi1 1Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Special Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan; 2Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, JordanCorrespondence: Asem Alqudah, Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Special Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid, 22110, Jordan, Tel +962795458496, Fax +962 27095010, Email asemq981@yahoo.comBackground: “Second eye syndrome” is a term used to reflect the feeling of more pain, anxiety, and longer duration of second eye cataract surgery than first eye cataract surgery. Many theories were elaborated to explain this phenomenon. This study aims to assess the subjective responses of pain, anxiety, duration of surgery, and recovery of patients who underwent bilateral uncomplicated cataract surgery.Methods: A cross-sectional design utilizing a well-structured questionnaire was adopted in this study. All patients who underwent bilateral uncomplicated cataract surgery through phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implant, with similar best-corrected visual acuity in both eyes, were interviewed through and after each surgery. Demographics, medical history, and preoperative and operative details were collected.Results: In this study, 347 patients were included; 199 (57.3%) were males. The operations were without intraoperative complications for both eyes. The mean value of the VAS score of the first eye was 1.95 and was 2.37 for the second eye (P = 0.02). Seventy (20.2%) patients reported that second eye surgery was more painful in comparison to 26 (7.5%) patients who reported the first eye to be more painful. The overall experience for the second eye was better in 56 (16.1%) cases and worse in 141 (40.6%). No medical or operative factor was found to affect the responses.Conclusion: This study revealed that patients perceived more pain and less quality of visual recovery in the second eye surgery, which could be associated with psychological factors. We would suggest that all cataract surgeons pay attention to informing and reassuring patients that they are likely to feel more pain during the second eye operation.Keywords: cataract, pain, intraocular lens implant, second eye syndrome, local anesthesia
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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series Patient Preference and Adherence
spelling doaj-art-3f3aec81da3a4219a1765d4f939c0a512025-08-20T03:25:08ZengDove Medical PressPatient Preference and Adherence1177-889X2025-07-01Volume 19Issue 120812094104994Second Eye Syndrome: Patients’ Perspectives Regarding First Eye versus Second Eye Phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens Implantation SurgeryAlqudah A0Al-Dwairi R1Sharayah AAl-Qudah NSAlmustafa YSAl-Qudah A2Alharahsheh DAl Awam RKAl-Qudah HAleshawi A3Special Surgery/ Ophthalmology ServiceOphthalmologyIrbidOphthalmologyAsem Alqudah,1 Rami Al-Dwairi,1 Abdallah Sharayah,1 Nour Sufyan Al-Qudah,2 Yazan Salah Almustafa,2 Ahmad Al-Qudah,2 Diya’ Alharahsheh,2 Rahma Kamal Al Awam,2 Hashim Al-Qudah,2 Abdelwahab Aleshawi1 1Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Special Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, Jordan; 2Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, 22110, JordanCorrespondence: Asem Alqudah, Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Special Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid, 22110, Jordan, Tel +962795458496, Fax +962 27095010, Email asemq981@yahoo.comBackground: “Second eye syndrome” is a term used to reflect the feeling of more pain, anxiety, and longer duration of second eye cataract surgery than first eye cataract surgery. Many theories were elaborated to explain this phenomenon. This study aims to assess the subjective responses of pain, anxiety, duration of surgery, and recovery of patients who underwent bilateral uncomplicated cataract surgery.Methods: A cross-sectional design utilizing a well-structured questionnaire was adopted in this study. All patients who underwent bilateral uncomplicated cataract surgery through phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implant, with similar best-corrected visual acuity in both eyes, were interviewed through and after each surgery. Demographics, medical history, and preoperative and operative details were collected.Results: In this study, 347 patients were included; 199 (57.3%) were males. The operations were without intraoperative complications for both eyes. The mean value of the VAS score of the first eye was 1.95 and was 2.37 for the second eye (P = 0.02). Seventy (20.2%) patients reported that second eye surgery was more painful in comparison to 26 (7.5%) patients who reported the first eye to be more painful. The overall experience for the second eye was better in 56 (16.1%) cases and worse in 141 (40.6%). No medical or operative factor was found to affect the responses.Conclusion: This study revealed that patients perceived more pain and less quality of visual recovery in the second eye surgery, which could be associated with psychological factors. We would suggest that all cataract surgeons pay attention to informing and reassuring patients that they are likely to feel more pain during the second eye operation.Keywords: cataract, pain, intraocular lens implant, second eye syndrome, local anesthesiahttps://www.dovepress.com/second-eye-syndrome-patients-perspectives-regarding-first-eye-versus-s-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-PPACataractPainIntraocular lens implantsecond eye syndromelocal anesthesia
spellingShingle Alqudah A
Al-Dwairi R
Sharayah A
Al-Qudah NS
Almustafa YS
Al-Qudah A
Alharahsheh D
Al Awam RK
Al-Qudah H
Aleshawi A
Second Eye Syndrome: Patients’ Perspectives Regarding First Eye versus Second Eye Phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens Implantation Surgery
Patient Preference and Adherence
Cataract
Pain
Intraocular lens implant
second eye syndrome
local anesthesia
title Second Eye Syndrome: Patients’ Perspectives Regarding First Eye versus Second Eye Phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens Implantation Surgery
title_full Second Eye Syndrome: Patients’ Perspectives Regarding First Eye versus Second Eye Phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens Implantation Surgery
title_fullStr Second Eye Syndrome: Patients’ Perspectives Regarding First Eye versus Second Eye Phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens Implantation Surgery
title_full_unstemmed Second Eye Syndrome: Patients’ Perspectives Regarding First Eye versus Second Eye Phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens Implantation Surgery
title_short Second Eye Syndrome: Patients’ Perspectives Regarding First Eye versus Second Eye Phacoemulsification and Intraocular Lens Implantation Surgery
title_sort second eye syndrome patients amp rsquo perspectives regarding first eye versus second eye phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation surgery
topic Cataract
Pain
Intraocular lens implant
second eye syndrome
local anesthesia
url https://www.dovepress.com/second-eye-syndrome-patients-perspectives-regarding-first-eye-versus-s-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-PPA
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