title: Protection of the eyes with ophthalmic ointments during general anaesthesia.
abstract: In a double blind trial 47 anaesthetized patients were given eye protection with the paraffin-based neutral eye ointment Ph. Nord. 63 in one eye and the water-based Methyl cellulose (MC) 4% in the other. Twenty-four hours later the eyes were vital-stained with rose bengal/fluorescein. No unintended effects of the ointments were found and no injury to the eyes were seen. Compared with the paraffin-based ointment the MC ointment produced a more firm adhesion of the eyelids. A water-based 4% MC ointment is therefore as alternative to the fat-based neutral eye ointment.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002648:Child; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008747:Methylcellulose / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009824:Ointments
chemical_list: D009824:Ointments; D008747:Methylcellulose