Effects of Stress Ball and Hand Massage on Vital Signs, Anxiety, and Pain During Eye Surgery

While eye surgeries are effective in restoring visual function, they are predominantly performed under local or topical anesthesia. Because patients remain conscious during the procedure, they frequently experience increased anxiety and pain, which can negatively affect their physiological parameters, reduce compliance with the surgical process, and potentially increase the risk of complications. Pharmacological methods for managing anxiety and pain carry risks of drug interactions and side effects, particularly in the elderly population. Therefore, non-pharmacological nursing interventions such as hand massage (which promotes relaxation through tactile stimulation) and stress ball squeezing (which reduces pain and anxiety perception through cognitive distraction) are gaining importance as safe, low-cost, and non-invasive alternatives.

This study will be conducted at the ophthalmology clinic and operating room of Binali Yıldırım University Mengücek Gazi Training and Research Hospital. Participants will be assigned to one of three groups using computer-assisted block randomization to ensure homogeneity.

The study procedure follows three main phases:

• Pre-operative Phase: Following informed consent, patients' baseline anxiety levels are measured. A brief training is provided to the intervention groups regarding the procedures they will perform during surgery.
• Intra-operative Phase: Interventions are applied under the supervision of a researcher. For the hand massage group, a trained researcher applies a massage using hypoallergenic baby oil for 5 minutes on each hand (10 minutes total). For the stress ball group, patients squeeze a soft, latex-free ball for 5 seconds at rhythmic intervals over a 15-minute period. The control group receives standard intraoperative care without these specific interventions.
• Post-operative Phase: Ten minutes after the patients are transferred back to their rooms, researchers collect data on anxiety, pain, and physiological parameters (systolic/diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation).

Data collection is conducted face-to-face using a Personal Information Form, a Physiological Parameters Evaluation Form, a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for pain, and a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for anxiety.

Inclusion criteria

• Being 18 years of age or older.
• Undergoing eye surgery under topical or local anesthesia.
• Being conscious, able to communicate, and having the cognitive capacity to answer questions.
• Having no communication barriers (e.g., hearing, speech, or language problems).
• Having no physical barriers or limitations that would prevent hand massage or stress ball application.
• Volunteering to participate in the study.
• Being able to read and understand Turkish.

Exclusion criteria

• Transitioning to general anesthesia during the eye surgery.
• Having a history of severe cardiovascular, neurological, or psychiatric diseases.
• Experiencing any discomfort during the hand massage or stress ball application.
• Cancellation of the surgery during the research process or the participant requesting to withdraw from the study.