Proficiency of Eye Drop Instillation in Postoperative Cataract Patients in Ghana

Summary

Eye drops must be proficiently instilled to prevent infections following cataract surgery. Proficiency is defined as placing a drop on the ocular surface without touching the applicator's tip. Researchers will investigate whether patients can proficiently administer eye drops on the first attempt on the first day after surgeries. If successful, researchers will determine how proficient they are 29 days later. If not, they will be provided with additional educational sessions and tested again 29 days later. Researchers will also determine if the proficiency of instillation correlates to whether patients experience irritation or pain after surgery.

Summary Brief Summary Eye drops must be proficiently instilled to prevent infections following cataract surgery. Proficiency is defined as placing a drop on the ocular surface without touching the applicator's tip. Researchers will investigate whether patients can proficiently administer eye drops on the first attempt on the first day after surgeries. If successful, researchers will determine how proficient they are 29 days later. If not, they will be provided with additional educational sessions and tested again 29 days later. Researchers will also determine if the proficiency of instillation correlates to whether patients experience irritation or pain after surgery.

Hypotheses:

On postoperative day 30, there will be a higher rate of successful eye drop instillation in the group of subjects who receive the educational session compared to the baseline group subjects (subjects only tested on postoperative day 30 rather than both the first day after surgery and postoperative day 30) who will not receive it.

In comparing the postoperative day 30 proficiency levels of baseline subjects and subjects who were able to proficiently instill a single eye drop on postoperative day 1, the subjects who were able to proficiently instill a single eye drop on postoperative day 1 will have a higher success rate than the baseline group.

The number of subjects who are unable to correctly instill the medication on postoperative day 30 and experienced pain or irritation before or during postoperative day 30 will be higher than the number of subjects who are able to correctly instill the medication on postoperative day 30 and experienced pain or irritation before or during postoperative day 30.

Conditions

• Cataract Surgery

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of British Columbia

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Shafik Dharamsi, Ph.D · University of British Columbia

• Annalee Yassi, Dr. · University of British Columbia

• Jerry Spiegel, Dr. · University of British Columbia

• Ken Bassett, Dr. · University of British Columbia

• Yang Liu, Dr. · University of British Columbia

• Christian Peoples, Dr. · University of British Columbia

• Tiffany Shiau, Dr. · University of British Columbia

Eligibility

Min Age

19 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2012-02-29

Primary Completion

2012-12-31

Completion

2013-06-30

Countries

• Ghana