Influence of preoperative health education based on the theory of enhanced recovery after surgery on preoperative anxiety and postoperative rehabilitation status in patients with pterygium excision

Abstract Pterygium excision with conjunctival flap transplantation is a common ophthalmic surgery. Due to the eye fragility property, patients are prone to fear and anxiety, and there is tonic and disorderly movement of the eyeball during surgery, which affects the surgical progress and postoperative rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to explore the influence on preoperative anxiety and postoperative rehabilitation status in patients undergoing pterygium excision after preoperative health education based on the theory of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). Ninety patients who received elective pterygium excision with conjunctival flap transplantation in the hospital from March 2023 to December 2023 were randomized into two groups. 45 patients in the control group were given routine intervention guidance, and on this basis, the remaining 45 patients in the observation group adopted preoperative health education based on ERAS theory. The intervention effect was evaluated according to Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), Self-Perceived Burden Scale (SPBS), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), wound healing time, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and nursing satisfaction. After intervention, the observation group had lower GAD-7 score and SPBS score before surgery than the control group (P<0.05). The NRS scores in the observation group at 1 and 2 days after surgery were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The wound healing time in the observation group was shorter compared to the control group (P<0.05), but the UCVA revealed no obvious difference between both groups at 4 weeks after surgery (P>0.05). The nursing satisfaction was higher in the observation group (P<0.05). It is concluded that preoperative health education based on ERAS theory has obvious advantages in improving preoperative anxiety and postoperative rehabilitation of patients with pterygium excision, and its clinical application value is high.