[Temperature changes of the cornea by applying an eye bandage]

The corneal temperature is not often measured, but it may be useful to evaluate the temperature-changing effect of the application of eye bandages. The reason for applying an eye bandage is to calm an inflamed eye and to provide mechanical protection. Everyone knows that some patients have more complaints after an eye bandage has been applied. This phenomenon might be caused by the inflamed eye being warmed up by bandage application.

In 40 apparently healthy subjects 24 +/- 1.93 years of age we examined the temperature changes caused by two different types of eye bandage. The measurements were done with a Jeol infrared camera. Twenty probands received a monocular bandage consisting of a perforated plastic cap and another 20 subjects a monocular mull bandage with a perforated plastic cap.

The mean corneal apex temperature was 32.05 +/- 0.74 degrees C. Both bandages caused the corneal temperature to go up considerably. The perforated plastic cap increased the mean apex temperature by 0.58 +/- 0.48 degree K and the combined mull bandage by 1.15 +/- 0.57 degrees K (P < 0.05).

Application of an eye bandage increases the corneal temperature significantly. This is known to change enzyme activities and to cause prostaglandin liberation and pain. A change in the bacterial spectrum may result. Cooling as a universal principle in antiphlogistic therapy might be a supplementary therapy in treating sterile, but inflamed eyes.