Corneal abrasions during general anesthesia.

The eyes of 200 healthy adult patients undergoing general anesthesia were stained with fluorescein strips for detection of corneal abrasion in the immediate postoperative period. Twenty-six of 59 patients in whom the eyes remained partly open showed positive staining--an incidence of 44 percent. The remaining 141 patients in whom the eyes were naturally closed or protected with adhesive tape or vaseline gauze did not develop exposure keratitis. It is suggested that covering of eyes is necessary in all cases undergoing general anesthesia so as to avoid this frequent complication of anesthesia.