What question should a nurse ask to assess a client's preoperative cognitive-perceptual pattern?

To assess a client's cognitive-perceptual pattern in the preoperative context, asking about wearing glasses is particularly relevant. This question helps determine the client's vision capabilities, which is essential for understanding how well the client processes visual information and interacts with their environment. If the patient has visual impairments, this could impact their understanding of information provided pre- and post-surgery, as well as their ability to follow preoperative instructions, such as medication management or the identification of the surgical site.

The other choices, while important in their own right, do not directly address the cognitive-perceptual aspect as clearly. Pain assessment is more focused on discomfort than cognitive function, medication inquiries relate to medical history rather than perception, and allergy questions are geared towards safety in administering anesthetics or other drugs rather than cognitive perception. Therefore, in assessing how a client perceives and processes information, especially in the context of upcoming surgery, querying about the use of glasses is the most informative approach.