Ocular findings in critically ill patients in a tertiary care hospital- A clinical study

Patients in theintensive care unit (ICU), present physicians with new challenges indiagnosis and management on a daily basis. ICU patients may present with multiple organ involvementwith a wide range of signs and symptoms that guides thepractitioner  in making a correctdiagnosis. Ophthalmologic symptoms are as important for making anappropriate diagnosis as a patient’s cough, nausea, or edema.

Neglecting examination of the eye in the course of attempting to make a correct diagnosis would  would not only disregards valuable information about the patient thereby the physician may overlook an important aspect in the overall treatment of the patient.

Advancements in ICU care have inadvertently led to increase in the length of ICU stay which in turn resulted an increase in complications directly related to duration of stay.previous studies regarding the same have revealed that the patients under critical care are more susceptible to certain ocular conditions.

Patients are more susceptible in the intensive care unit as they have dysfunctional ocular protective mechanisms due to metabolic derangement , mechanical ventilation and decreased level consciousness. Sedated ICU patients are incapable of protecting their eyes.Hence, patients are more susceptible to Ocular surface disorders.

 Ocular Diseases whose prevalence has been proven to be more in critically ill are

 Exposure keratitis

Chemosis

Angle Closure Glaucoma

Diabetic retinopathy

Central retinal artery occlusion

Central retinal vein occlusion

Rhino Orbital Cerebral Mucormycosis

Endophthalmitis

MRSA related ophthalmological infections.