As cataract lens implant technology continues to evolve and advance, many patients are still unaware that cataract surgery is not a one-size-fits-all procedure. Patients often aren’t even aware a lens implant is used and even less aware of the available choices of lens implants and visual outcomes available. With so many available choices, it can be overwhelming for both the patient and staff to understand and pick which will work the best. This makes the approach to providing sufficient patient education more important than ever.

Here are the key elements of the cataract patient education process.

Learn about the patient’s priorities

One of the best ways to start the cataract education process is to learn about the patient. We all use our eyes in different ways. Finding out a patient’s visual priorities can help guide the conversation toward a specific type of lens or lens targeting.

Ask about the patient’s occupation, including the specific duties or visual needs the patient has during their workday. For example, a patient may report he is in sales for his profession. Asking more questions can provide further insight. Does he work in an office at a computer all day? Maybe his computer use is minimal and instead he travels frequently and drives long distances in the dark. If a patient is retired, find out what their profession was before retirement. A retired pilot may have different visual expectations compared to a patient with a less visually demanding profession.

Also, learn about a patient’s hobbies. What does the person spend most of their time doing, and when would it be most important to have independence from glasses? Connecting cataract implant technology with real-life scenarios enables the patient to understand and more easily consider the effect on their life of the various vision correction technologies.

This conversation is on-going and can be conducted by anyone involved in the patient’s care. And it could come up at any time. A patient may disclose to the technician, nurse, or surgical coordinator that they are going on an upcoming vacation and are an avid scuba diver. All patient interactions both before and during the clinical consultation can invoke good patient information and provide insight on visual preferences.

Start the education process early

The timing of education matters. Patient education can start before patients even enter the clinic. Fortunately, patients of all ages are now used to receiving information through technology. This can be used to start the education process about cataract surgery. Oftentimes, the education process can start with an email or text message to patients that includes a link to a video or website containing information about cataract surgery, cataract lens implant options, or even just what to expect at their upcoming cataract surgical consultation. Generic information from a general website can be useful, but in our experience it has been most powerful to generate our own information and video content using terminology consistently used across our practice.

A video telehealth conference with a staff member can be especially meaningful for patients to further their understanding of what to expect as well as what choices they will have the opportunity to make about their visual outcome. HIPAA-compliant telehealth technology is available to utilize for these types of medical telehealth conferencing.

In preparation for a patient’s initial examination at our office, we have implemented electronic communication in the form of videos and links to our website information as well as a video conference. The pre-consultation videos include general information on cataracts, cataract surgery, and cataract technology choices. We have produced some in house as well as utilized various electronic resources to supplement the education. In our experience, the video conference has been one of the most effective ways to start the patient education process about cataract surgery. The staff educator pro-actively answers many frequently asked questions about cataract surgery, introduces and explains the lens implant technologies, and starts the conversation regarding the financial responsibility for the patient.

This video conference prior to the doctor’s examination allows the patient time to envision the visual possibilities they may have an opportunity to pursue with cataract surgery. Also, the video conference often eases some anxieties about a potential upcoming procedure. This time and education, in our experience, has allowed the patients to be more relaxed and open to further discussion and decision making when they arrive for their surgical consultation.

Discuss finances

Financial counseling is just as important as education regarding cataract technology options. Cataract surgery provides patients an exciting opportunity to not only resolve a medical condition but also provide visual improvement. This differs from many other medical procedures that do not have any additional choice or elective component. Being transparent about the investment of the available technologies assists patients in making the best choice for themselves.

As with the medical education, consider having this discussion prior to the surgical consultation, as the two go hand in hand. The introduction of available technology naturally leads to the discussion of the financial responsibility for the patient including insurance, elective fees, and any financing options a practice may have available to the patient. Financial transparency before the surgical consultation allows the patient time to consider available options. It also helps the patient focus on the doctor’s recommendations at their surgical consultation without concerns or surprise of how much it will cost.

Take the time to build trust

Patients often need time and more than one conversation to determine the best cataract choice for themselves both visually and financially. Pre-consultation education is critical to assisting patients in their cataract journey and sets the stage for the upcoming surgical consultation. Having multiple meaningful educating conversations helps alleviate feelings of pressure to decide without time to process. Great patient education builds trust, and a trusting patient is often more willing to invest in a vision correcting technology that can really improve their quality of life. OP

Jessica Heckman, OD, is the vice president of clinical affairs and optometric residency coordinator at Chu Vision Institute in Bloomington, MN. She provides full-scope patient care and works closely pre- and post-operatively with cataract and refractive surgery patients.

Dr. Heckman revealed no relevant disclosures.