What on earth is the reason!
2006-09-19 08:23:34 · 15 answers · asked by Lily & Stu Too 5 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
I work in an Operating Department, and the reason we tape patients eyes closed, is to prevent them being damaged, and from corneal abrasions occuring.
When you are under a general anaesthetic, you have no control over what is coming into contact with your eyes. For example, if you were to see something coming toward your eyes whilst awake, you would either close them, or move.
Anaesthetic drugs themselves do not dry your eyes, but the fact that you are not blinking whilst under general anaesthetic can contribute to dry eyes. Sometimes, if a patient is anaesthetised for long periods of time, or on artificial ventilation and sedation in an Intensive Care Unit, artificial tears (a salty solution), may be used to counteract this.
On some occasions in theatre, as well as taping the eyes, a small piece of gel type material is placed over the closed eyes, as a type of protector too.
Hope this helps.
2006-09-19 08:41:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
A general anaesthetic paralyses virtually all of your muscles, including the one that normally closes your eye and makes you blink (Orbicularis Occuli, I think). Blinking washes the surface of your eyeball (your cornea) and clears away all debris that deposits there - dust, the odd eyelash etc. If you can't blink, you lose this protective mechanism, and your cornea can easily be irritated or scratched. If your cornea is dry for a long period, it can ulcerate also. Add to that the effects of atropine etc. already mentioned, and you have very good reasons for taping your eyes shut!
2006-09-19 10:37:00 · answer #2 · answered by RM 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They tape your eyes to protect them but also so that no dust etc. can enter during the proceedure because even though you are under anaethetic there is still some involuntary movement of the eyes
2006-09-19 08:36:07 · answer #3 · answered by vazza_x 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think it's in case anything falls in them as they are working around you, but I cannot be sure if the anaesthetist was just messing when he said that cos he also told me he did the corssword while the operation went ahead and that only once had one of his patients woken up mid op to see what was going on. Still it's another option to consider hey?
2006-09-19 08:31:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because if I was a doctor in the middle of the operation and the patients eyes opened during it, I'd be pretty freaked out!
2006-09-19 08:31:35 · answer #5 · answered by lochness 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The first answer is partly right; its also because you're under a bright light and lose control over your pupils. If you were under that light for any length of time it would damage your retinas.
Vets use an opaque cream for the same reason.
2006-09-19 08:34:45 · answer #6 · answered by sarah c 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Right, I have had 11 operations and I believe that it is because if you wake up (very rare) you can't open your eyes to see what they are doing. They can just put you back to sleep without you seeing anything, because if you see what they are doing you can start panicking and then they put you to sleep again, you can go into shock while under anaestetic, which is not good!!!
2006-09-19 09:13:08 · answer #7 · answered by Kirk_84 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
so you don't open your eyes when their stealing your leg,well you did only pay them £2 pounds for this operation didn't you and you are doing it in a back ally of a club so there is you answer
2006-09-19 09:10:22 · answer #8 · answered by Huggles [mozzafan] 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
to stop your eyes drying out, if they didn't tape them shut they would open up during the op
2006-09-19 08:36:24 · answer #9 · answered by borderslassuk 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
To protect your eyes and lubricate them, the anesthesia drugs they give cause dry eye especially atropine
2006-09-19 08:24:37 · answer #10 · answered by god knows and sees else Yahoo 6 · 4⤊ 2⤋