Investigating the Effects of Meditation, Nature Sounds, and Music on the Patient Experience During Intravitreal Injections.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of three brief interventions (spoken/guided meditation, nature sounds, or music) on patients' subjective experience with intravitreal injections (IVIs).

METHODS

A total of 121 consecutive patients were randomized into four cohorts: spoken/guided meditation (n = 31), nature sounds (n = 30), music (classical or jazz, n = 30), and control (n = 30). Subjective anxiety levels were recorded prior to and following a three- to five-minute intervention in the first three study groups as well as following the IVI. Controls did not participate in an intervention prior to the injection. Subjective pain with the injection was recorded, as was patient satisfaction with the injection experience.

RESULTS

All three intervention cohorts experienced, on average, a 33% reduction in anxiety level after the intervention and prior to their IVI. While there was a trend toward lower post-intervention anxiety among those in the music cohort compared to controls, this difference did not reach statistical significance, nor was there a significant difference in pain or satisfaction across all groups, including controls. The number of prior intravitreal injections was mildly inversely correlated with pain in all subjects.

CONCLUSION

In this study, brief pre-injection music and meditation interventions demonstrated intra-cohort anxiolytic effects, though they did not prove statistically effective at reducing anxiety or influencing perceptions of pain or patient satisfaction compared to control. We encourage further investigation into non-invasive methods for reducing pain and anxiety, as well as enhancing the patient experience during ophthalmologic procedures.