Music May Ease Anxiety in Eye Clinics - Summary - MDSpire
From the Journals

Music May Ease Anxiety in Eye Clinics

Background music and multimedia exposure were associated with lower patient-reported anxiety in a quasi-experimental ophthalmology clinic study that used existing clinic audiovisual infrastructure at no additional cost.

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • May 15, 2026

  • 4 min

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A study published in Clinical Ophthalmology examined the impact of background music and calming multimedia on anxiety levels in 375 patients at a Canadian ophthalmology clinic. Conducted as a quality improvement initiative, the study found that patients exposed to either music or multimedia reported significantly lower anxiety scores than those with no media. While both interventions improved patient satisfaction, multimedia was particularly effective in enhancing perceived helpfulness, especially among older adults. Limitations include a lack of randomization at the patient level and absence of physiological measures.

Original Source(s)

Music May Ease Anxiety in Eye Clinics

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • May 15, 2026

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