Contamination of Diagnostic Ophthalmic Solutions in Primary Eye Care Settings.
Abstract
Pharmaceutical agents and irrigating solutions are widely used in both optometric and opthalmologic practices. Contamination of these containers or solutions could possibly pose a danger to the patient. We set out to investigate the possible contamination of a representative sample of these containers in small office practices. Two diagnostic pharmaceutical agents and an irrigating solution used in primary care optometric and opthalmologic practices in the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area were tested to investigate the rate of contamination and to identify the types of microorganisms in the contaminated solutions. Sixty total samples (proparacaine, tropicamide, and an irrigating solution) were randomly cultured and 11.7% of the samples showed contamination. Pseudomonas cepacia, Staphylococcus epidennidis, Pseudomonas putida, and Streptococcus species were the predominant organisms isolated from the contaminated bottles. In addition, 17 of the original 60 containers were cultured for investigation of the dried residue particles around the threads of the containers. Of these 17 investigated, 13 (76.5%) tested positive for staphylococcus and micrococcus species.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 04, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA294639
Entities
People
- Becky Ong
- C. B. Stanley
- Patricia Clark
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology