Risk factors and preventive measures for corneal injury in the intensive care unit: Scoping review

To identify the risk factors and the main preventive measures in scientific literature related to the development of corneal injury in critically ill patients.

This is a scoping review, with a protocol previously registered on the Open Science Framework platform. The study was guided by the methodological guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute and followed the PRISMA-ScR framework. The research question was developed based on the PCC strategy. The search was conducted in the LILACS, PubMed, and SciELO databases, and in the grey literature via the CAPES Periodicals portal, with no language or time restrictions. The following descriptors were used: Corneal Injuries, Patient Care, Nursing, and Intensive Care Units. Two independent reviewers, with a third reviewer involved in case of disagreements, performed Screening and selection of studies. The steps followed the methodological recommendations for scoping reviews, aiming to map evidence on risk factors and preventive measures for corneal injuries in patients hospitalized in intensive care units.

The studies analyzed indicate that the main risk factors for the development of ophthalmological injuries are higher among critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation, those under sedation and those with a decreased level of consciousness. Simple, effective nursing interventions are essential to the prevention of corneal injuries, contributing to the maintenance of ocular integrity of the patient.

Increasing the knowledge and training of nurses concerning ophthalmological care can contribute to greater awareness of the relevance of corneal injuries in critically ill patients, which is a crucial aspect of nursing care.