Animated Video Education for Retinal Surgery

Retinal detachment is a surgical emergency that can result in irreversible vision loss if untreated. Surgical options include pneumatic retinopexy, pars plana vitrectomy, and scleral buckle. Successful outcomes depend not only on timely surgery but also on patient understanding of their condition, the procedure, and critical post-operative instructions, especially positioning requirements. Traditional verbal counselling can be difficult for patients to absorb, particularly in multicultural populations where language barriers and variable health literacy are common.

This trial will evaluate a multilingual, animated educational video intervention designed to address these challenges. Each video is five minutes in length and includes simplified explanations of retinal detachment, key surgical steps, and post-operative positioning. Accessibility features such as high-contrast visuals, bold graphics, and audio narration allow use by patients with varying levels of vision and literacy. The videos are available in 25 languages, selected to reflect the most commonly spoken languages in Canada and globally.

Participants will be randomized to receive either standard counselling alone or counselling plus video in their preferred language. Outcomes include knowledge acquisition, anxiety reduction, and adherence to positioning instructions, measured with validated questionnaires. Findings will inform scalable strategies to improve patient education, promote equity in ophthalmic care, and reduce preventable complications.

Inclusion criteria

• Adults ≥18 years.
• Diagnosis of primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.
• Planned repair with pneumatic retinopexy (PnR), pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), or scleral buckle (SB).
• Able to provide informed consent.
• Preferred language available among study videos.

Exclusion criteria

• Repeat retinal detachment surgery in study eye.
• Combined complex procedures (e.g., PPV + corneal transplant).
• Severe cognitive impairment precluding consent.
• Hearing impairment preventing use of audio track (without aid).