Eyelid Taping Alone Versus Taping With Lubricant Eye Drops for Corneal Protection During General Anesthesia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

During general anesthesia, the eye\'s natural protective reflexes are suppressed, which can lead to corneal drying and injury. To prevent this, anesthesiologists routinely tape the eyelids closed. In many centers, lubricant eye drops are also applied in addition to taping, but whether this adds meaningful protection is unclear.This study will compare two approaches to eye protection during general anesthesia lasting 30 minutes to 3 hours: eyelid taping alone versus eyelid taping combined with lubricant eye drops. Two hundred adult patients undergoing elective, non-eye surgery in the supine position will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups.The main outcome is corneal surface damage measured by a standardized fluorescein staining score (NEI scale, 0-15) assessed by a blinded evaluator one hour after surgery. Secondary outcomes include tear film stability (TBUT), tear production (Schirmer test), patient-reported eye symptoms at 2 and 24 hours after surgery, and a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing the two approaches.If taping alone proves equally effective, routine use of lubricant eye drops may be unnecessary, reducing costs without compromising patient safety.