Ideas That Work: Homemade Headrest Keeps Cataract Patients Still

STAY STILL This foam headrest prevents patients from moving their heads during ophthalmic surgery.

Homemade Headrest Keeps Cataract Patients Still

To prevent a cataract patient from moving his head during surgery, you can either secure it with tape or have a staff member hold it steady. But tape leaves a sticky residue and it's uncomfortable to hold someone's head. A better option: this vinyl-covered foam headrest that one of our nurses designed. Take a block of soft foam and cut a space out in the center where the patient can lay his head. Cut one side higher than the other. Position the low-cut side toward the surgeon, so he has access to the patient's eye. The high-cut side prevents the patient from moving his head away from the surgeon. Cover the headrest in vinyl, so it's easy to clean between cases. The patent-pending positioning device works so well in our busy eye center that we hardly ever use tape anymore.

Aggie Roland, RN
Aker Kasten Eye Center
Boca Raton, Fla.
[email protected]