Light Protection Performance of Textile Phototherapy Eye-patch Protectors for Jaundiced Infants

Abstract

In this paper we report on an experimental investigation into the performance of textile eye-patch protectors for jaundiced infants nursed in neonatal units which are routinely used to protect their eyes from strong light during phototherapy. With the view of practical application, the main factors affecting the light protection performance of an eye-patch protector, including the light transmission level of the fabric, the irradiance level, location of the light unit, the head directions of the infant, and the design components of eye-patch protectors, were examined in a simulated clinical environment of phototherapy light treatment. It was found that textile eye-patch protectors are able to shield the strong phototherapy light effectively. However, the light protection performance of the eye-patch protector is greatly affected by its fabrication and the level of the eye-patch displacement. Results from the current work confirmed that fabric constructional parameters and structure both had a significant impact on phototherapy light protection. Fabric that was black in color could give effective protection from different light sources. Results also revealed that the selection of light units, the positions and the head directions of the infant, and the infant’s distance from the light unit are major factors affecting the irradiance level and the efficacy of the treatment. Uniquely, non-linear regression models have been applied and demonstrated to predict the safety performance of eye-patch protectors.