Impact of Individualized Nursing on Postoperative Recovery Following Trabeculectomy in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma: A Retrospective Cohort Study

AIM: Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is one of the leading contributors to irreversible blindness. This study evaluated the impact of individualized nursing interventions in patients with POAG undergoing trabeculectomy. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included 94 cases of POAG (94 eyes) undergoing primary trabeculectomy at the Department of Ophthalmology in Binzhou Medical University Hospital between January 2021 and December 2021. Based on the type of postoperative nursing care received, patients were allocated to either an individualized nursing group (n = 54), which received individualized nursing care, or a control group (n = 40), which received standard care. Individualized care comprised preoperative psychological assessment, tailored education, visual function rehabilitation, structured complication monitoring, lifestyle counseling, and remote follow-up support. Assessments were conducted at 1 week and at 1, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months postoperatively. Key outcomes included intraocular pressure (IOP), use of antiglaucoma medication, length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, and cumulative surgical success. RESULTS: The individualized nursing group exhibited markedly shorter hospital stays (p = 0.007), lower IOP at 24 and 36 months (all p < 0.05), and fewer antiglaucoma medications at early time points (1 week and 1 month; all p < 0.05). Overall complications occurred less frequently in the individualized nursing group (p = 0.020). Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated a significantly higher cumulative surgical success rate in the individualized nursing group (p = 0.019). Multivariable Cox regression identified individualized nursing as an independent predictor of reduced surgical failure (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.519, p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Individualized nursing interventions significantly improve postoperative outcomes following trabeculectomy in POAG patients. Integrating individualized nursing care into routine clinical practice may enhance surgical success and reduce postoperative complications.