Effectiveness of the Use of Eye Irrigate Devices Produced from Used Plastic Bottles

Abstract

The commonly used eye irrigation glass is costly, easily broken and require more caring effort. Other alternative devices were found to be not effective. Thus, the researchers had developed an eye irrigation device from plastic bottle to replace the existing ones. The objectives of this study, conducted from October 2011-September 2013, were to explore the production method and assess the effectiveness, the cost, the patients’ satisfaction of this new device. It was found that a suitable eye irrigation device could be produced from used intravenous fluid bottle without any cost (comparing to 350 baht for the eye irrigation glass and 30 baht for the commercial plastic device. This invention was produced as a 2-component device: the cap connectable to a bottle of normal saline and the body which could be reused for 5 times after autoclave sterilization; and it was easily cleaned and sterilized by heat. During the study period, the device was tested with 204 eye patients attending Ngob Health Promotion Hospital, Thungchange District, who required irrigation, and majority of them (92.16) were satisfied with the device. Therefore, it should be promoted for health facilities with limited eye irrigation device and lack of financial support.