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Eye (2010) 24, 5052 & 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved 0950-222X/10 $32.00
http://www.nature.com/eye
Web End =www.nature.com/eye
P Rautenbach1, A Wilson2 and P Gouws3
CLINICALSTUDY
The reuse of opthalmic minimss:
an unacceptable cross-infection risk?
1Mersey Deanery, Cornwall, UK
2Department of Microbiology, Conquest Hospital, Hastings, UK
3Department of Ophthalmology, Conquest Hospital, East Sussex, UK
Correspondence: P Gouws, Department of Ophthalmology, Conquest Hospital,The Ridge,Street Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex TN37 7RD,UKTel: 01424 755255
ext 8742;
Fax: 01424758146.
E-mail: mailto:[email protected]
Web End =Pieter.Gouws@ mailto:[email protected]
Web End =tiscali.co.uk
Abstract
Aims The instillation of a combined ourescein-anaesthetic eye drop is common practice in most ophthalmology clinics. Chauvin Pharmaceuticals produce unpreserved proxymethacaine 0.5% and ourescein 0.25% in a Minimss vial (PFM) intended for single application only. Our aim was to determine whether the reuse of these eye drops for multiple applications has the potential for bacterial transmission.
Methods Samples were collected from doctors in general outpatient clinics. Each sample constituted a blood agar plate inoculated with the initial drop of uid from a PFM as a control. The vial was then used for multiple applications on consecutive patients. One of the last remaining drops was then inoculated onto an alternate marked site on the same plate to serve as the test sample. The samples were immediately transported to the Microbiology laboratory and incubated at 371C for 48 h. The results were interpreted thereafter by a Microbiologist.
Results A total of 41 samples were collected by eight Samplers. In all, 7/41(17%) samples showed growth of normal conjunctiva and lid ora on the test area. These were coagulase negative Staphylococci and Corynebacterium spp. Conclusions The reuse of single application of PFM should be questioned due to the potential risk of transmitting pathogens.
A change to a single use only policy would result in a projected threefold increase in the annual budget for these drops.
Eye (2010) 24, 5052; doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/eye.2009.39
Web End =10.1038/eye.2009.39 ; published online 27 February 2009
Keywords: minims; cross-infection; contamination
Introduction
The instillation of a combined uoresceinanaesthetic eye drop has become common
practice in most ophthalmology clinics. This facilitates Goldmann applanation tonometry for determining intraocular pressure and corneal staining to elucidate any epithelial defect.
In the United Kingdom, Chauvin Pharmaceuticals (a subsidiary of Bausch& Lomb), produce individual vials of various eye drops...