References
How to provide nursing care to the surgical ophthalmic patient
Abstract
Introduction
Management of the ophthalmic surgical patient is a team effort with veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons and owners all playing vital roles in ensuring a successful outcome. The role of the veterinary nurse extends from ensuring careful and appropriate restraint of the ophthalmic patient pre surgery to monitoring post-operative analgesia. Nursing the surgical ophthalmic patient requires specific considerations and often has rewarding outcomes.
As well as the general considerations for the peri-operative period there are a few specific factors to consider with the ophthalmic patient prior to surgery.
Prior to the surgery date skin and ears should be checked in the general health check. Any problems that might cause head shaking or face rubbing can then be controlled prior to surgery. This article will discuss the nursing care that is required for surgical ophthalmic patients.
Veterinary nurses need to think carefully about restraint in the ophthalmic patient (Figures 1 and 2). An inadvertent increase in intraocular pressure due to an elevation in venous pressure by, for example straining on a collar and lead or poor manual restraint techniques, may have disastrous repercussions, such as a detrimental intraocular pressure spike in a glaucomatous patient, or a perforation in a fragile ulcerated cornea. Removal of neck collars and fitting a harness instead is highly recommended. Pauli et al (2006) have demonstrated that intraocular pressure increases significantly from baseline when pressure is applied via a collar but not via a harness. Teng et al (2003) have shown even a neck tie in humans will increase the intraocular pressure in normal and glaucomatous patients.
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