Investigation of the effect of music intervention and stress ball application during cataract surgery on patients’ anxiety and pain: a single-blind randomized controlled trial

Since cataract surgery is commonly performed under topical anesthesia, patients remain conscious during the procedure, which may lead to heightened levels of anxiety and pain. This study aimed to examine the effects of a music intervention and stress ball application on patients’ levels of anxiety and pain during cataract surgery. This study was designed as a randomized, controlled, single-blind trial. The sample consisted of 240 patients scheduled for cataract surgery at the day surgery unit of a public hospital. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a music intervention group, a stress ball group, or a control group. State anxiety was assessed preoperatively, immediately after surgery while the patient remained on the operating table, and approximately 10 minutes after transfer to the ward. Pain was assessed immediately after surgery and approximately 10 minutes after transfer to the ward.Patients in the music group listened to music for 15minutes during the surgery, while those in the stress ball group used a stress ball for 15minutes. Baseline (trait) anxiety was measured once preoperatively using the STAI-II. There were no statistically significant differences in sociodemographic or baseline characteristics among the groups (p>0.05). The music group demonstrated significantly lower postoperative pain scores than the control group (p<0.001). Similarly, postoperative anxiety levels were significantly lower in the music group compared to both the stress ball and control groups (p<0.001). Both interventions were effective in reducing anxiety and pain; however, the music intervention demonstrated greater effectiveness compared to the stress ball application. These low-cost, easy-to-implement, and side-effect-free interventions can be recommended for use by surgical nurses to enhance patient comfort, alleviate pain, and improve the overall quality of perioperative care.