The primary purpose of draping the surgical patient is to isolate the surgical site from the other areas of the patient’s body and nonsterile areas of the OR table in order to contribute to reducing the risk of surgical site infection (SSI).

Why do they cover faces during surgery?

By covering the surgeon’s face below the eyes, patients lose many of the nonverbal cues expressed by the surgeon to aid in explanation.

Why do they tape eyes shut during surgery?

Corneal abrasions can usually be prevented by careful protection of the eyes. Small pieces of sticking tape are commonly used to keep the eyelids fully closed during the anaesthetic. This has been shown to reduce the chance of a corneal abrasion occurring.