PubMed · 9850256
Is eye padding routinely necessary after uncomplicated phacoemulsification?
Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate the value of eye padding following uncomplicated phacoemulsification under peribulbar anaesthesia. METHODS: A prospective randomised controlled study was conducted to compare the effect of a conventional eye pad and shield with that of a clear eye shield applied without a pad in 83 patients undergoing routine phacoemulsification under peribulbar anaesthesia without lid block. The primary outcome measures were corneal fluorescein staining, discomfort, diplopia and mobility. RESULTS: Moderate or severe corneal fluorescein staining on the first post-operative day was significantly more common in the pad and shield group (39%) than in the clear shield group (19%) (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in post-operative pain as measured either by visual analogue scale or by categorical pain scale. Forty per cent of the clear shield group reported transient post-operative diplopia during the immediate post-operative period compared with 7% of the pad and shield group (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in reported mobility between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Following phacoemulsification under peribulbar anaesthesia, the use of a gauze eye pad is associated with greater corneal fluorescein staining than a clear plastic shield without pad and offers no reduction in discomfort. A clear shield protects the globe against direct trauma, is associated with reduced moderate to severe corneal staining and facilitates vision in the early post-operative period. Transient diplopia reported by some patients given a clear shield is not disabling and would not be expected to occur in patients with one seeing eye. The use of a clear shield alone is a safe alternative to eye padding and offers important advantages in patients with one seeing eye.
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J W Bainbridge, J M Smith, G Reddy, J F Kirwan. 1998. Is eye padding routinely necessary after uncomplicated phacoemulsification?. https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1998.160
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