Special Surgical Procedures II
LESSON 1: Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat (EENT) Surgery
Section I: EYE SURGERY
1-17
1-17. PROCEDURES ON THE CORNEA
a. Repair of Laceration. A flap of the conjunctiva is used to seal off the tear.
b. Removal of Foreign Body. This is done very gently using aseptic technique to avoid secondary infection.
(1) Serious damage to the ocular structures often results from the careless or unskilled removal of foreign bodies from the eye.
(2) The foreign bodies which most commonly cause injury and irritation of the conjunctiva or cornea are dust particles from grinding wheels, cinders, street dirt, gravel, and grains of sand. Foreign bodies such as splinters of wood, metal, or glass which become embedded in or penetrate the eye often cause serious damage.
(3) A foreign body, which is lying on the cornea, is embedded in, or penetrates the eye, is always removed by a medical officer.
c. Graft of Cornea. Opaque corneal tissue is excised and healthy corneal tissue of the same size and shape is placed. The operation is done to restore vision by permitting light to enter the eye. An important factor in the success of this surgery is that the donor tissue absolutely be fresh. If opacity (the condition in which light cannot penetrate) has begun to develop in the graft tissue, the success of the operation is doubtful. Eye "banks," similar to other tissue "banks," provide for acquisition, preservation, and transportation of healthy corneal tissue to the hospital where the operation is to be done.
