title: Factors related to incidence of eye disorders in Korean patients at intensive care units.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence rate of eye disorders and further to identify factors related to incidence of eye disorders in intensive care unit patients.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Although the incidence of eye disorders in intensive care unit patients is very high, it is difficult to come to an accurate estimate of number of eye disorders in intensive care unit patients because eye disorders are often perceived to be minor problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective, descriptive survey design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of a total 235 patients with eye disorders were identified through a review of the medical records of 2,500 patients hospitalised in the intensive care units of Yonsei University Hospital, Seoul, Korea from January to December, 2004. To examine factors related to eye disorders, 522 patients without eye disorders from the cohort of 2,265 patients were randomly selected. Factors related to incidence of eye disorder were included in a multiple logistic regression model, after screening by the chi-squared test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence rate for eye disorders in the intensive care unit patients was 8.6%. From the multiple regression model, the following odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of eye disorder were estimated; length of stay in intensive care unit of at least seven days: 2.8 (1.70-4.70); death: 2.5 (1.47-4.29); drowsy mental state: 2.2 (1.10-4.37); stupor mental state: 7.0 (3.20-15.45); coma mental state: 10.8 (3.47-33.74); no self-respiration: 1.9 (1.00-3.52); positive end expiratory pressure: 2.9 (1.66-4.92); sedatives: 4.2 (2.26-7.74); muscle relaxants: 2.3 (1.11-4.95).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors related to incidence of eye disorders in intensive care unit patients identified in this study support the need to pay attention to eye problems and eye care in intensive care unit patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An evidence-based eye care protocol should be provided as routine care to prevent eye complication, especially in critically ill patients with mechanical ventilators, positive end expiratory pressure, sedatives or muscle relaxants and for patients whose mental status is decreased.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Nursing, Yonsei University College of Nursing, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eui Geum
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Won Hee
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: So Sun
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Il Sun
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Sang Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Eun Kyeung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Se Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies