An Analysis of Exposure Keratopathy Cases to Promote Changes in Eye Care Practice in Intensive Care Units.
Publication/Presentation Date
7-1-2025
Abstract
Exposure keratopathy (EK) is corneal damage from prolonged environmental exposure. If untreated, EK can lead to corneal scarring and/or blindness. Critically ill patients are at high risk. A case of EK in our intensive care unit led us to investigate the incidence of EK in our critical care units and understand the interventions needed to reduce its impact. We found 44 cases of EK over 3 years. 95% received mechanical ventilation and 32% received paralytic agents. Average time to diagnosis was 15.8 days from intensive care unit admission. More than a quarter (27%) of patients had severe EK at diagnosis, and 52% of patients had received prior eye care. EK occurred frequently in our critical care units. Many subjects did not receive prophylaxis and disease was diagnosed at a late stage. To address this, we plan a 3-pronged approach focusing on prevention, early recognition, and timely initiation of treatment.
Volume
40
Issue
4
First Page
173
Last Page
176
ISSN
1555-824X
Published In/Presented At
Betti, S., Bell, H., Glatt, J., Yoo, E. J., & Oxman, D. A. (2025). An Analysis of Exposure Keratopathy Cases to Promote Changes in Eye Care Practice in Intensive Care Units. American journal of medical quality : the official journal of the American College of Medical Quality, 40(4), 173–176. https://doi.org/10.1097/JMQ.0000000000000240
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
40279241
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article