Patient vs. physician narratives on refractive surgery in Turkish YouTube videos: a comparative reflexive thematic analysis

Why stories about eye surgery online matter

Many people who are tired of glasses or contact lenses turn to YouTube to learn about laser eye surgery. But the videos they find don’t all tell the story in the same way. This study looks closely at Turkish-language YouTube videos about refractive surgery—procedures like LASIK that reshape the eye to correct vision—to see how patients and physicians describe the experience differently, and how viewers respond to those stories.

Two types of voices on the same platform

The researchers focused on 64 Turkish YouTube videos that had been watched at least 1,000 times and were mainly about refractive surgery. About half of the videos were created by patients sharing their own journeys, while the rest were made by physicians explaining the procedures. Instead of scoring videos for accuracy alone, the team carefully read and coded the full transcripts, looking for patterns in what people talked about: why they chose surgery, how the operation and healing felt, and how life changed afterward.

What patients share about life before and after surgery

Patient videos centered on everyday struggles that pushed them toward surgery: fogged-up glasses during mask use, irritated eyes from contact lenses, and wanting to feel more confident at weddings or special events. They often described the surgery day in vivid, emotional terms—short but intense burning sensations, surprise at how quickly vision cleared, or, in some cases, severe pain in the first hours at home. Patients also spoke bluntly about disappointment when results did not match the flawless picture painted by advertising, and some raised doubts about whether clinics were putting income ahead of safety.

How doctors frame the same operations

Physician videos painted a more structured path. Doctors emphasized who is a good candidate, how different techniques are chosen, what typical recovery looks like, and how risks are managed. They highlighted that the operation is usually quick and comfortable, that mild symptoms such as tearing, burning, or light sensitivity are to be expected, and that some side effects—like temporary dry eye or the eventual need for reading glasses with age—are normal. Doctors also criticized aggressive marketing, paid influencers, and the rebranding of older methods under shiny new names, calling for honest, science-based communication.

Whose stories viewers engage with more

When the researchers compared basic engagement numbers, they found that patient videos attracted more likes and a higher like-to-view ratio than physician videos, even though total view counts were similar. Many patient clips were among the most-watched uploads on their channels, suggesting that people are especially drawn to first-hand accounts when weighing a life-changing choice like eye surgery. However, past work shows that popularity does not guarantee accuracy, so relying on likes and views alone can be misleading when people are trying to make informed health decisions.

Balancing hope, risk, and trust

Overall, both patients and physicians described refractive surgery as generally successful, with quick gains in everyday vision. Where they differed was in tone and emphasis: patients highlighted sharp contrasts between marketing promises and early discomfort, while physicians tended to present a more predictable, managed pathway through risk and recovery. The authors argue that, because many people now research surgery online before ever seeing a doctor, eye-care professionals should produce clear, realistic, and easy-to-find materials that openly discuss both the short-term discomfort and the longer-term benefits and limits of surgery. That balance can help viewers turn powerful stories into better, safer decisions about their own eyes.

Citation: Gürsoy, N., Gürsoy, E. Patient vs. physician narratives on refractive surgery in Turkish YouTube videos: a comparative reflexive thematic analysis. Sci Rep 16, 11002 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-41997-z

Keywords: refractive surgery, laser eye surgery, YouTube health information, patient narratives, ophthalmology