A cross-sectional study assessing the information quality of refractive surgery for myopia videos on Douyin, Bilibili, and Kwai

Although short-video platforms have rapidly emerged as prominent channels for health communication, the quality and reliability of content regarding refractive surgery for myopia remain unevaluated. To address this research gap, 300 videos retrieved with the search term “refractive surgery for myopia” within a 48-hour window across Douyin, Bilibili, and Kwai were screened, and 264 eligible videos were included in the final analysis. Videos were classified by uploader identity, theme, and verification status. Two independent reviewers evaluated video quality using the Global Quality Score (GQS), modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), and JAMA benchmark criteria. Results showed that overall information quality was moderate, with platform-specific variations: Bilibili provided longer educational content, Douyin focused predominantly on patient experiences, and Kwai featured more surgical procedures. Quality scores varied significantly by uploader identity, and videos uploaded by ophthalmologists, institutional accounts, and Blue-V verified creators scored substantially higher than those uploaded by independent or unverified users. User engagement indicators showed only weak correlations with clinical quality scores. A key challenge and limitation is related to platform algorithm dynamics and the 48-hour sampling window, which primarily captured algorithmically promoted content rather than the overall quality of all available videos on each platform. Given that elective refractive surgery for myopia relies heavily on preoperative expectations, platforms should optimize recommendation mechanisms to better balance evidence-based professional content with highly engaging user narratives.