Eye Care in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

  • 15 Jan 2021
  • RCOphth and the Intesive Care Society

This document aims to provide advice and information for clinical staff who are involved in eye care in the ICU. It is primarily intended to help non-ophthalmic ICU staff to:

1.protect the eye in vulnerable patients, thus preventing ICU-related eye problems

2. identify disease affecting the eye in ITU patients, and specifically those which might need ophthalmic referral

3. deliver treatment to the eye when it is prescribed

It concentrates primarily on the common problems of the eye surface but also touches on other less common conditions. As such, it should also be helpful to those ophthalmologists asked for advice about ICU patients.