Author: Denise Ramponi, RN, CEN, CRNP, MSN
Publication: Nursing2000, Volume 30, Number 8
This article presents the use of the Morgan Lens using text and photographs, as well as providing general information on chemical eye burns. The introduction to the article is presented below:
“YOU’RE WORKING in the emergency department and receive a call from the lab: A technologist in the chemistry department has splashed acetic acid solution in her right eye and is on her way down. You quickly grab your eye emergency equipment.
When someone gets a chemical in her eye, you can help prevent damage to the cornea by irrigating the eye and restoring its normal pH. You could do this by prying open her eyelids and administering a flush solution through intravenous (IV) tubing, but this technique calls for constant attention and the use of both hands. Fortunately, you have another option.
In this article, I’ll review how to use the Morgan Lens, a molded plastic device that fits over the eye and through which you can flush irrigating solution. When properly placed, the Morgan lens rests between the cornea and the eyelid and solution instilled through the attached tubing irrigates both surfaces. Continuously bathed with fluid, the cornea remains untouched by the lens itself.”
Thanks for the opportunity to sing the praises of the Morgan Lens! Those of us who have been in the field for a while wonder what we ever did without them! We find two general uses for the lenses. One is for contact irritation: most typically, splashes. After local anesthetic, for ease of insertion, the lenses fit comfortably on patients of all ages and provide gentle and thorough irrigation of irritant substances. We have many cases of this type. The second most common use is for patients show suffer multiple injuries due to automobile accidents, major trauma, burns, falls, etc. Not only does the lens thoroughly irrigate the eye, removing most or all of the debris that has accumulated, it more importantly frees up the nurse's hands so that she can perform other lifesaving functions. Quite frankly, eye irrigation was treated as "the bottom of the list" often because other patient's other injuries were more devastating with higher morbidity and mortality. Particularly in the burn patient, the soothing effect of the irrigation and potential to prevent infection or further injury, make it an easy to use, valuable asset for patient care.
Registered Nurse (Montana)
MorTan Inc.
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 8719
Missoula, MT 59807
U.S.A.
Shipping Address:
329 East Pine St
Missoula, MT 59802
U.S.A.
Toll-Free Telephone: 1-800-423-8659
Telephone: 406-728-2522
Fax: 406-728-9332
Email: mortan@morganlens.com
Hours
Monday - Thursday
7:30 AM - 4:00 PM MT
Friday
8:00 - 1:00 PM MT
The Morgan Lens is used in 90% of hospital emergency departments in the USA and can be inserted in less than 20 seconds. There simply is no other "hands-free" method of eye irrigation. Nothing else frees medical personnel to treat other injuries or to transport the patient while irrigation is underway. Nothing is more effective at treating ocular chemical, thermal, and actinic burns or removing non-embedded foreign bodies, even when the patient's eyes are closed tightly. Its design makes it simple and straightforward to use so minimal training is required.