Abstract | BACKGROUND: In unconscious ventilated patients, various eye protective measures have been used to prevent corneal abrasions. Two randomized controlled studies in Australia had compared the effectiveness of polyethylene films and eye instillations to prevent corneal abrasions but results were inconsistent. The local acceptance of polyethylene films as a standard eye protective measure is still limited. OBJECTIVES: DESIGN: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted between April 2004 and December 2005. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: METHODS: All participants received a standard eye care regime together with the eye protective interventions. A fluorescein stain test was performed by the eye care team daily and then weekly to detect any corneal abrasions. RESULTS: Four participants were not included in the data analysis as they died soon after commencement of the study. A total of 116 patients were included in the final analysis. Of the seven patients (6.0%) that had a positive fluorescein test, four (6.8%) were in the polyethylene covers group (n=59) and three (5.3%) were in the lanolin eye ointment group (n=57). This was not statistically significant (p=0.519). One patient in the lanolin eye ointment group had an eye infection. Upon follow-up of those patients with positive fluorescein test results, two patients spontaneously converted to stain negative within 24h and two patients died before the ophthalmologist's assessment. The remaining three patients were diagnosed to have epithelial cell loss without corneal abrasions. CONCLUSIONS:
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Authors | Hang Mui So, Carmen Chun Heung Lee, Anne Kit Hung Leung, Jean Marie Jin Ai Lim, Christine Suk Ching Chan, Wing Wa Yan |
Journal | International journal of nursing studies
(Int J Nurs Stud)
Vol. 45
Issue 11
Pg. 1565-71
(Nov 2008)
ISSN: 0020-7489 [Print] England |
PMID | 18394624
(Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
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Chemical References |
- Fluorescent Dyes
- Ointments
- Lanolin
- Polyethylene
- Fluorescein
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Topics |
- Chi-Square Distribution
- Clinical Nursing Research
- Coma
(complications, nursing)
- Corneal Injuries
- Critical Care
(methods)
- Critical Illness
(nursing)
- Eye Injuries
(diagnosis, epidemiology, prevention & control)
- Eye Protective Devices
(standards)
- Female
- Fluorescein
- Fluorescent Dyes
- Humans
- Incidence
- Kaplan-Meier Estimate
- Lanolin
(therapeutic use)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Ointments
- Polyethylene
(therapeutic use)
- Prospective Studies
- Risk Factors
- Statistics, Nonparametric
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