ESCRS - P278 - DO THOSE HELPING US SEE AS CLEARLY AS THEY NEED?

DO THOSE HELPING US SEE AS CLEARLY AS THEY NEED?

Published 2022 - 26th ESCRS Winter Meeting

Reference: P278 | Type: Abstracts | DOI: 10.82333/051s-km45

Authors: Tatiana Tziola* 1 , Irene Oustoglou 1 , Maria Samouilidou 1 , Ioannis Kassos 1 , Savvas Mauromatidis 2 , Nikolaos Ziakas 1

12nd Department of Ophthalmology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece,Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece,Thessaloniki,Greece, 2Nursing Department,Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece,Thessaloniki,Greece

Purpose

Theatre nurses play a significant role in the fast-paced and often stressful operating theatres’ environment. Undiagnosed presbyopia may act as an additional burden, especially when working as a scrub nurse. In this study, we aim to define the refractive status of the nursing stuff in the operating theaters and the need for near vision (NV) correction spectacles.

Setting

All of the theatre nurses of a single tertiary hospital in Greece were included in the study.

Methods

Data was gathered on demographic factors, previous refractive status and ocular healthcare seeking behaviours. Subjective refraction (ETDRS) and examination on the slit lamp was performed.Descriptive analysis of all the data was performed and the relationship between previously undiagnosed or undercorrected presbyopia and age, the feeling of inadequate near Vision (NV), length of work experience as theatre nurse and working in the operating theatres with subspecialties with high near vision demands was determined using univariate regression analysis. 

Results

A total of 37 theatre nurses were identified. A change in the refractive status was identified in 54% and a need of new NV spectacles or a change in their current prescription was identified in 43% which was considered significant (P=0.0138). Increasing age was the only factor found to be significantly associated with a previously undiagnosed or undercorrected presbyopia in our sample (P=0.0069). 

Conclusion

A significant proportion of theatre nurses were found to have previously undiagnosed refractive errors.Regular annual ophthalmic checks can prevent suchevents and allow them to achieve optimal near vision, favorably affecting their abilities as scrub nurses.