Randomized Controlled Trial of the STEIN Protocol: A Neuroplastic Pain Education and Guided Breathing Intervention During Awake Cataract Surgery
Who can join
All ages · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Adults undergoing elective cataract surgery under topical anesthesia who are able to provide informed consent and complete study procedures. Exclusion Criteria: Inability to provide informed consent Inability to comply with study procedures Complex or combined cataract surgery General anesthesia Medical, neurologic, psychiatric, or respiratory conditions interfering with study participation Requirement for modified anesthetic protocols Inability to complete postoperative breathing exercises or follow-up assessments
About the study
This randomized controlled trial evaluates whether a standardized perioperative neuroplastic intervention: the STEIN Protocol (Strategies and Techniques for Enhancing Integration and Neuroplasticity), consisting of pain neuroscience education, guided imagery, and paced breathing, reduces intraoperative analgesic and anxiolytic requirements.
Secondary outcomes include patient-reported pain, anxiety, satisfaction, and postoperative recovery following cataract surgery.
Reduced intraoperative sedative and analgesic requirements may reflect improved patient comfort and autonomic regulation while minimizing medication-related adverse effects.
What is being tested
- Music and Guided Imagery (device)
- Control (device)
- Music Only (device)
Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles · Participants: 300 · Started: Jun 10, 2026
Contact the study team
- Shawn R Lin, MD, MS, MBA · Phone: 310-206-7955
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07715591
Locations in the U.S.
| California | Stein Eye Institute - University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.