No abstract

8% of ophthalmic solutions used in a long-term care facility were contaminated with bacteria, most frequently Proteus mirabilis. Compared with solutions not containing steroids, steroid solutions were 5.8 times more likely to be contaminated (RR = 5.84, 95% CI: 2.42 to 14.10, p<0.002). The frequent contamination during reuse of certain steroid-containing ophthalmic solutions raises the question of whether single-use solutions might be preferred for these and other classes of ocular drugs.