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Warmed versus room temperature saline solution for ocular irrigation: a randomized clinical trial
Annals of Emergency Medicine
|December 2, 1998
Summary
Warmed saline solution significantly improves ocular irrigation comfort compared to room temperature saline. This study demonstrates that using warmed saline for eye irrigation offers a more comfortable experience for volunteers.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Devices
- Patient Comfort
Background:
- Ocular irrigation is a common procedure.
- Patient comfort during ocular irrigation can vary significantly.
- The temperature of irrigating solutions may impact patient experience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the comfort of warm saline versus room temperature saline for ocular irrigation.
- To test the hypothesis that warmed saline is more comfortable.
Main Methods:
- Randomized, single-blind crossover trial with 35 volunteers.
- Each subject received 30 mL warmed and 30 mL room temperature saline in opposite eyes.
- Discomfort was rated using visual analog scales (VAS).
Main Results:
- Warmed saline yielded a mean VAS score of 15 mm (SD +/-15 mm).
- Room temperature saline yielded a mean VAS score of 34 mm (SD +/-24 mm).
- The difference in VAS scores was statistically significant (P <.0001).
Conclusions:
- Warmed saline solution is clinically and statistically more comfortable than room temperature saline for ocular irrigation.
- This finding supports the use of warmed saline to enhance patient comfort during eye irrigation.