Purpose: The day surgery mode has significantly reduced preoperative waiting time for patients. However, this mode also led to brief and sometimes abrupt interactions between patients with vision loss and nursing staff during the preoperative visits. Additionally, patients may experience negative emotions. The aim of this study was to describe the preoperative experiences and identify related stressful factors among patients waiting vitreo-retinal day surgery. Methods: This study was guided by an interpretive approach. Semi-structured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted with patients from August 2021 to October 2024. Inductive content analysis and research software were used to analyze the data. Results: Twenty-seven patients agreed to participate the interviews. Their ages ranged from 19 to 70 years old. The waiting time before hospitalization varied from 7 to 90 days. Three main categories emerged from patients’ complaints: day surgery procedures, concerns about eye conditions and supports. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of preoperative care services. It is suggested that providing accurate preoperative information and effective support can significantly enhance the quality of preoperative care service.

Purpose: The day surgery mode has significantly reduced preoperative waiting time for patients. However, this mode also led to brief and sometimes abrupt interactions between patients with vision loss and nursing staff during the preoperative visits. Additionally, patients may experience negative emotions. The aim of this study was to describe the preoperative experiences and identify related stressful factors among patients waiting vitreo-retinal day surgery. Methods: This study was guided by an interpretive approach. Semi-structured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted with patients from August 2021 to October 2024. Inductive content analysis and research software were used to analyze the data. Results: Twenty-seven patients agreed to participate the interviews. Their ages ranged from 19 to 70 years old. The waiting time before hospitalization varied from 7 to 90 days. Three main categories emerged from patients’ complaints: day surgery procedures, concerns about eye conditions and supports. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of preoperative care services. It is suggested that providing accurate preoperative information and effective support can significantly enhance the quality of preoperative care service.