ABSTRACT
Patients are seldom admitted to ICU for ocular pathologies, but one-third to two-thirds of critically ill patients suffer eye surface disease (Dawson, 2005), especially drying of the cornea and eye surface. Exposed eye surfaces are at increased risk of infection (keratitis) and abrasion, while positive pressure ventilation increases intraocular pressure, so causing potential ‘ventilator eye’. This chapter does not discuss specialist ocular pathophysiologies, but reasons for and types of eyecare needed by most ICU patients.
