Perry et al.: Clinical Nursing Skills & Techniques, 10th Edition
Chapter 19: Care of the Eye and Ear
Printable Key Points
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Altered vision or hearing affects communication, health literacy, independence, and
adherence to medical or pharmacological therapies.
When a patient has auditory impairments, the increased background noise in an
unfamiliar environment often makes a patient more anxious and decreases his or her
ability to adjust to new surroundings.
Before using touch to get the attention of a patient with visual or hearing loss, be
culturally sensitive and ask if touch is permitted.
Identify the patient’s usual practices and preferred maintenance of sensory assistive
devices.
Vision and hearing impairment occurring together are referred to as dual sensory
impairment (DSI). DSI has the potential to cause a decline in mobility, self-care, and
an individual’s usual daily activities.
Anticipate how a sensory alteration potentially places a patient at risk for injury.
Select interventions on the basis of the type of sensory loss, patient preference, and
patient safety.
Orient patient to any new environment or changes within an existing environment to
minimize safety hazards.
When a patient’s normal protective eye mechanisms are not effective, eye care is vital
to prevent damage to the cornea.
All lenses must be removed periodically to prevent infection and corneal damage and
that proper cleaning and safe handling are necessary before reinserting a lens.
A chemical injury to the eye is an emergency and requires flushing the eye with
copious amounts of irrigation fluid.
The common indications for irrigation of the external ear canal are presence of
foreign bodies, local inflammation, and buildup of cerumen (ear wax) in the canal.
For people with hearing loss, a proper hearing aid improves the ability to hear and
understand spoken words.
When your patient has a hearing aid, your role is to understand how it functions and
how to help the patient care for it.
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