Week 10

I spent this past week taking a deeper dive into the scientific studies on visual experiences during cataracts so I could map out the different stages one might see during surgery.

This was supplemented by further documentation on the specific steps around the doctor’s visit leading to the surgery, which helped me map out a narrative more specific to how I picture this device being used.

Assuming that this is a device presented in the examination room after a verbal explanation of the procedure, I imagine the doctor introducing the device by saying something like the following:

“This is a device that helps you understand what you will see during the surgery. You’ll be awake for the procedure, but to you it will seem mostly like a spectacle of colors and lights.* Some patients actually find the visuals quite calming. The device shows you an example of what patients often see and could help you feel more prepared for the procedure. Are you interested in taking a look?”

*if patients opt for sedation, they will likely have a reduced or nonrecollective visual experience

Supporting Research

This statement is backed by the scientific findings of various studies on patient visual experiences.

In this study, patients were shown video clips of simulated cataract surgery being performed on a model eye from the “eye’s” perspective. Patients were shown the clips prior to undergoing surgery, and “patients agreed that watching the video clips preoperatively helped them be more relaxed during the surgery.”

In another study, patients were shown artist interpretations of the visual experience prior to the procedure. “Many of the patients who had retained vision for the procedure believed that the drawings helped to prepare them and reduced their level of anxiety during the operation. They felt that a warning of what they might see was helpful in preparing them for the operative experience.”

With confirmation that these experiences can help the patient preoperatively, I scoured the articles for images and visual descriptions of patients accounts. One source brought up the point that showing patients only one personal account of the surgery might make them nervous if their experience is not similar.

Work Summary

I mapped out a series of potential lenses to represent the surgery experience based on the recollections from the articles and the images from the camera model. Unfortunately the two past patients I interviewed were sedated during the experience, so they had a poor recollection of the visual experience and can only vaguely confirm the accuracy of my interpretation.

I also created a storyboard more specific to when I imagine the device being used. The device interaction is left vague so I have more room to explore interaction.