CataractNCT07609186
Binaural Sound During Phacoemulsification and Posterior Chamber Lens Implantation in Geriatric Patients
A study testing binaural beats in people with Cataract and Binaural Beats, run by Seoul National University Hospital at 1 site in South Korea.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of binaural beats on patient satisfaction and intraoperative comfort in patients aged 65 years or older undergoing cataract surgery (phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation) under monitored anesthesia care (MAC) with propofol. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Cataract, Binaural Beats, Geriatric Anesthesia
- What is being tested?
- binaural beats
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion, Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSouth Korea
- Study dates
- 7 Aug 2025to 8 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 65 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Patients scheduled to undergo their first phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation (PE \& PCL) under monitored anesthesia care (MAC).
- Patients aged 65 years or older.
- Patients who fully understand the study and voluntarily provide written informed consent to participate.
Who cannot join
- Patients undergoing their second consecutive PE \& PCL surgery.
- Patients with hearing loss, hearing impairment, or those who use hearing aids.
- Patients unable to wear earphones due to diseases of the external auditory canal.
- Patients who chronically use hypnotics or sedatives.
- Patients with a history of obstructive sleep apnea or a Body Mass Index of 35 kg/m² or higher.
- Patients with a history of alcohol or drug dependence.
Show all 9Show fewer
- Patients with a history of epilepsy or seizure disorders.
- Patients who are unable to complete a written questionnaire.
- Patients deemed unsuitable for participation in the clinical trial based on the investigator's clinical judgment.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
South Korea1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Seoul National University Hospital
Seoul
Jeong-Hwa Seo, MD, PhD, 82-2-2072-0641, eong77@snu.ac.kr
About this study
Official title: Effect of Binaural Sound During Phacoemulsification and Posterior Chamber Lens Implantation on Postoperative Patient Satisfaction in Geriatric Patients: a Single-blind, Randomized Controlled Trial
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of binaural beats on patient satisfaction and intraoperative comfort in patients aged 65 years or older undergoing cataract surgery (phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation) under monitored anesthesia care (MAC) with propofol.
Participants are randomly assigned to either a binaural beat group or a control group. The binaural beat group will wear earphones and listen to binaural beats from the time they arrive at the operating room until the surgery is completed. The control group will wear identical earphones but will not receive any auditory stimulus.
During the procedure, standard vital signs and the bispectral index (BIS) will be continuously monitored in both groups. Following the surgery, the investigators will assess the patients' overall satisfaction using a 7-point Likert scale. Secondary assessments include patient preference for the anesthesia method, intraoperative pain intensity, sedation level, anxiety level, and quality of life (EQ-VAS) measured by a visual analogue scale. Any surgery-related discomfort or adverse events will also be recorded and compared between the two groups.
- Conditions
- Cataract, Binaural Beats, Geriatric Anesthesia
- Being tested
- binaural beats, sham earphone
- Medical subject headings
- Cataract
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
binaural beatsDevice
The auditory stimulus provided to the experimental group generates an interference wave (binaural beat) by applying a frequency difference of 1 to 4 Hz between the left and right ears. The stimulus consists of pure binaural beats without any additional background music. The volume is initiated at 60 dB, which is set to one level lower than the default output volume of the audio-generating device.
sham earphoneDevice
Patients will wear identical earphones to the experimental group, but no sound, binaural beats, or any other auditory stimulus will be provided during the procedure.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| binaural beats | Experimental | Patients in this arm will wear earphones and receive binaural beat auditory stimulation continuously from the moment they arrive at the operating room until the end of the surgery. During the procedure, monitored anesthesia care (MAC) will be maintained using a propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI) at an effect-site concentration of 0.3 μg/mL. Receives: Device: binaural beats |
| control | Sham comparator | Patients in this arm will wear identical earphones to the experimental group from the moment they arrive at the operating room until the end of the surgery, but no sound or auditory stimulus will be provided. During the procedure, monitored anesthesia care (MAC) will be maintained using a propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI) at an effect-site concentration of 0.3 μg/mL. Receives: Device: sham earphone |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Overall Patient Satisfaction
Overall satisfaction with the surgical process is assessed using a 7-point Likert scale. Patients respond to the statement, "I am satisfied with the overall surgical process." The scale ranges from 1 to 7, where 1 indicates "Strongly disagree," 4 indicates "Neutral," and 7 indicates "Strongly agree." Higher scores represent greater overall satisfaction.
Measured: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Secondary outcomes (5)
Preference for the Same Anesthesia Method
Patients' willingness to choose the exact same anesthesia method if they were to undergo identical surgery in the future, assessed using a 7-point Likert scale. The scale ranges from 1 to 7, where 1 indicates "Strongly disagree," 4 indicates "Neutral," and 7 indicates "Strongly agree." Higher scores indicate a stronger preference for the experienced anesthesia method.
Measured: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Intraoperative Anxiety Level (VAS)
The level of anxiety experienced during the surgery, measured retrospectively using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The scale ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents "No anxiety at all" and 100 represents "The most severe anxiety imaginable." Higher scores indicate a higher level of anxiety.
Measured: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Intraoperative Sedation Level (VAS)
The subjective level of sedation or sleepiness experienced during the surgery, measured retrospectively using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The scale ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents "Not sleepy at all" and 100 represents "The most severe sleepiness imaginable." Higher scores indicate a deeper subjective feeling of sedation.
Measured: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Intraoperative Pain Intensity (VAS)
The intensity of pain experienced during the surgery, measured retrospectively using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The scale ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents "No pain at all" and 100 represents "The most severe pain imaginable." Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity.
Measured: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Postoperative Quality of Life (EQ-VAS)
Patients' self-rated health status assessed using the EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS). The scale ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents "The worst health you can imagine" and 100 represents "The best health you can imagine." Higher scores indicate a better health-related quality of life.
Measured: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 May 2026
- Study start7 Aug 2025
- Primary completion1 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion8 Jul 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for CataractStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Seoul National University HospitalThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Care provider, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Seoul National University Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jeong-Hwa Seo, Seoul National University Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07609186
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- BB_cataract
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 12 May 2026
- Last updated
- 27 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Binaural Sound During Phacoemulsification and Posterior Chamber Lens Implantation on Postoperative Patient Satisfaction in Geriatric Patients: a Single-blind, Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07609186
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BB_cataract
- Conditions
- Cataract, Binaural Beats, Geriatric Anesthesia
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Seoul National University HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 7 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 8 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 27 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of binaural beats on patient satisfaction and intraoperative comfort in patients aged 65 years or older undergoing cataract surgery (phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation) under monitored anesthesia care (MAC) with propofol.
Participants are randomly assigned to either a binaural beat group or a control group. The binaural beat group will wear earphones and listen to binaural beats from the time they arrive at the operating room until the surgery is completed. The control group will wear identical earphones but will not receive any auditory stimulus.
During the procedure, standard vital signs and the bispectral index (BIS) will be continuously monitored in both groups. Following the surgery, the investigators will assess the patients' overall satisfaction using a 7-point Likert scale. Secondary assessments include patient preference for the anesthesia method, intraoperative pain intensity, sedation level, anxiety level, and quality of life (EQ-VAS) measured by a visual analogue scale. Any surgery-related discomfort or adverse events will also be recorded and compared between the two groups.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (care provider, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| binaural beats | Experimental | Device: binaural beatsPatients in this arm will wear earphones and receive binaural beat auditory stimulation continuously from the moment they arrive at the operating room until the end of the surgery. During the procedure, monitored anesthesia care (MAC) will be maintained using a propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI) at an effect-site concentration of 0.3 μg/mL. |
| control | Sham comparator | Device: sham earphonePatients in this arm will wear identical earphones to the experimental group from the moment they arrive at the operating room until the end of the surgery, but no sound or auditory stimulus will be provided. During the procedure, monitored anesthesia care (MAC) will be maintained using a propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI) at an effect-site concentration of 0.3 μg/mL. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Patients scheduled to undergo their first phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation (PE \& PCL) under monitored anesthesia care (MAC).
- Patients aged 65 years or older.
- Patients who fully understand the study and voluntarily provide written informed consent to participate.
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- Patients undergoing their second consecutive PE \& PCL surgery.
- Patients with hearing loss, hearing impairment, or those who use hearing aids.
- Patients unable to wear earphones due to diseases of the external auditory canal.
- Patients who chronically use hypnotics or sedatives.
- Patients with a history of obstructive sleep apnea or a Body Mass Index of 35 kg/m² or higher.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| binaural beatsThe auditory stimulus provided to the experimental group generates an interference wave (binaural beat) by applying a frequency difference of 1 to 4 Hz between the left and right ears. The stimulus consists of pure binaural beats without any additional background music. The volume is initiated at 60 dB, which is set to one level lower than the default output volume of the audio-generating device. | Device | binaural beats |
| sham earphonePatients will wear identical earphones to the experimental group, but no sound, binaural beats, or any other auditory stimulus will be provided during the procedure. | Device | control |
Primary outcome
Overall Patient Satisfaction
Time frame: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Overall satisfaction with the surgical process is assessed using a 7-point Likert scale. Patients respond to the statement, "I am satisfied with the overall surgical process." The scale ranges from 1 to 7, where 1 indicates "Strongly disagree," 4 indicates "Neutral," and 7 indicates "Strongly agree." Higher scores represent greater overall satisfaction.
5 secondary outcomes
Preference for the Same Anesthesia Method
Time frame: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Intraoperative Anxiety Level (VAS)
Time frame: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Intraoperative Sedation Level (VAS)
Time frame: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Intraoperative Pain Intensity (VAS)
Time frame: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Postoperative Quality of Life (EQ-VAS)
Time frame: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing binaural beats in people with Cataract and Binaural Beats, run by Seoul National University Hospital at 1 site in South Korea.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in South Korea. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Jeong-Hwa Seo, MD, PhD (82-2-2072-0641, eong77@snu.ac.kr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Overall Patient Satisfaction (time frame: Immediately after surgery in the recovery room). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 May 2026.