Colm
Yes the nurse should wear goggles.
What about using an opaque eye shield and just seat it comfortably over
the eye.
Any light "leakage" is not going to be significant.
Wet pads are great where CO2 lasers are used hwich is often the case
for ENT upper airway surgery.
Bill Davies
Swansea

>>> [log in to unmask] 04/26/02 08:16am >>>
Dear all

What is the experience of list members in relation to eye safety of
staff
and members of the public accompanying patients for treatment in an
outpatient ophthalmic clinic. The laser in question is a Nd-YAG Class
3B
laser (1064nm) mounted on a slit lamp with max. output of 25mJ and a
pulse
rate of 7nsec. In most circumstances there is only the patient and
ophthalmologist in the room. But if a nurse is asked to hold the head
of the
patient should she be wearing goggles?  I believe so!

Secondly, during ophthalmic laser surgery the fellow eye is normally
tapped
shut and a surgical drape covers the entire face except for the eye
being
operated on. A practice (rather controversially) has developed where
moistened eye pads are taped to the fellow/unaffected eye under the
drape.
Question is, is this necessary? It increases prep time and also the
possibility of infection. It is stated in most standards that wet
gamgee/pads should be placed around surgical sites especially in ENT
surgery, does this also apply to ophthalmic surgery as in this case.
What is
the experience of other members?

All comments appreciated

Thank you
Colm Saidléar

The Children's University Hospital, &
Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin.




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