Corneal disorders

for sharp image to be focus on retina, cornea must be transparent and intact; corneal probs may be caused by irritation or infection with ulcerations of corneal surface, degeneration of cornea, or deposits on cornea; all probs reduce refracting power of c

Corneal Abrasion

scrape or scratch of cornea that disrupts its integrity; painful condition caused by small foreign body, trauma or most commonly, contact lens use; also poss malnutrition, dry eye syndromes and some cancer therapies; abrasion allows organisms to enter, le

Corneal Ulceration

bacterial, protozoal and fungal infections can lead to ulceration, a deep disruption of epithelium; prob is emergency because cornea has no separate blood supply and infection that can permanently impair vision develop rapidly

Corneal Disorder - Symptoms

pt who have corneal disorders have pain, reduced vision, photophobia, and eye secretions; cloudy or purulent fluid may be present on eyelids or lashes; wear gloves when examining eye; entire cornea may look hazy or cloudy with a patchy ara of ulceration

Corneal Disorder - Treatments - Drugs

for infection: anti-infective therapy is started before organism identified because of high risk of vision loss; antibiotics, antifungals and antivirals prescribed to reduce or eliminate organisms

Corneal Disorder - Care and Teaching

with anti-infectives, instill eye drops every hour for first 24h; teach pt how to apply eyedrops correctly; use sterile drops to demonstrate and have them return demonstrate; if pt can't safely apply drops, have family member do it; teach to only use in t

Keratoconus

degeneration of corneal tissue resulting in abnormal corneal shape, can occur with trauma or may be inherited disorder; leads to vision impairment and can only be corrected by surgery

Corneal Transplantation (Keratoplasty)

diseased corneal tissue is removed and replaced with tissue from human donor cornea; process improves vision by removing corneal deformities and replacing them with healthy corneal tissue

Corneal Transplantation - Preoperative Care

preop: may be short, with little time for teaching because transplant performed when donor cornea becomes available; pt usually anxious; use calm approach to asses knowledge of surgery and care before and after surgery; examine eyes for signs infection an

Corneal Transplantation - Postoperative Care

involves extensive pt teaching; after procedure, antibiotic injected under conjunctiva and antibiotic ointment used; eye covered with pressure patch and protective shield until next day; notify dr of changes in VS or drainage on dressing; instruct pt to l

Eye Donation - Donor

corneal tissue from donors and obtained from local eye or tissue bank; donors must be free of infections disease or cancer at time of death

Eye Donation - Care of Donor

elevate head of bed 30 degrees; instill antibiotic eyedrops; close eyes and apply small ice pack to closed eyes; contact family and physician to discuss eye donation