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Study aim
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The aim of this study is comparison of three methods of eye care using polyethylene covers, artificial tear gel and common method on prevention of dry eye and corneal ulcer in older people admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICU) of hospitals affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2020.
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Design
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Clinical trials with control groups, with parallel groups, one-way blind, randomized, and phase 3 were performed on 99 patients. In this study, the available sampling method will be used by random appointment and the participants in the research will be divided into three groups A, B and C. Intervention methods for random assignment will be placed in dark envelopes and each participant will be assigned an envelope using a random number table.
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Settings and conduct
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For five days, the eye is examined for dry eye using the Schirmer test and the corneal ulcer using the Fluorescein test by the researcher once in the morning.
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Participants/Inclusion and exclusion criteria
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patients admitted to ICU aged 60 and over, Glasgow Coma Scale score seven and below seven, no dry eye and corneal ulcer at admission, blink count less than five times per minute, no head and face trauma and incomplete eyelid closure, entered the study and patients who have been hospitalized for the past 24 hours, increased level of consciousness, reversal of blinking reflex and allergic to artificial tear gels, they were removed from the study.
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Intervention groups
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Group A: Artificial tear gel in the right eye every six hours for five days and in the left eye polyethylene coating and its replacement every 12 hours for five days.
Group B: Artificial tear gel in the left eye every six hours for five days and in the right eye polyethylene coating and its replacement every 12 hours for five days.
Group C: Both eyes of the patient are cared for in the usual way.
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Main outcome variables
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Dry eye
Corneal ulcer