Eye and Ear Irrigation Safety and Procedure
Key Points
- Irrigation is used to remove irritants, debris, and secretions and may deliver therapeutic solution.
- Chemical eye exposure is an emergency and requires immediate irrigation.
- Temperature-appropriate solution and correct flow direction reduce discomfort and injury risk.
- Ear irrigation is contraindicated in key conditions such as tympanic membrane damage.
Equipment
- Ordered irrigating solution and route-specific supplies
- Needleless syringe or approved irrigation device per policy
- Gloves, protective barrier materials, basin/collection supplies
- Otoscope support workflow for ear assessment when indicated
- Documentation and escalation pathway tools
Procedure Steps
- Verify patient identity, indication, and route-specific safety checks before irrigation.
- Perform hand hygiene, apply gloves, and prepare protective setup for runoff control.
- For eye irrigation, position to allow inner-to-outer flow and avoid contaminating lacrimal pathway.
- Begin eye irrigation immediately for chemical exposure and continue per emergent protocol.
- For ear irrigation, confirm no contraindications (for example, damaged eardrum, active canal infection, ear tubes unless specifically directed).
- Use room-temperature solution for ear irrigation to reduce vertigo, dizziness, and nausea.
- Direct flow safely (avoid forceful stream onto sensitive structures) and monitor tolerance continuously.
- Reassess symptoms and local findings after procedure and escalate persistent pain, dizziness, bleeding, or neurologic changes.
- Document indication, solution, tolerance, findings, and follow-up actions.
Common Errors
- Delaying eye irrigation after chemical exposure → preventable vision loss risk.
- Using nonsterile/unsafe water source for nasal-ear-eye adjacent procedures → contamination risk.
- Performing ear irrigation despite contraindications → perforation, vertigo, or worsening injury risk.
- Excessive pressure during irrigation → tissue trauma and symptom escalation.
Related
- ophthalmic-medication-administration - Eye route handling and contamination-control principles.
- otic-medication-administration - Ear anatomy handling and side-effect monitoring overlap.
- nasal-medication-administration - Shared route hygiene and no-cross-contamination practices.
- standard-precautions - Core infection-control workflow for irrigation procedures.
- medication-error-reporting-and-escalation - Escalation pathway for unexpected adverse events.