A Note on the Contamination of Eye-Drops Following Use by Hospital Out-Patients

Abstract

SUMMARY Examination of 273 eye‐drops, returned to a hospital pharmacy by out‐patients showed that 27% were contaminated. Common contaminants included Bacillus spp, Staphylococcus albus and Sarcina spp. Those eye‐drops containing the preservatives chlorbutol or thiomersal showed above average levels of Contamination, thus questioning the suitability of these preservatives for ophthalmic preparations.

Survey of the contamination of eyedrops of hospital inpatients and recommendations for the changing of current practice in eyedrop dispensing.

“…The study ofthe British Pharmacopoeia Commission found that samples with relatively high bacterial counts were those from bottles preserved with thiomersal,'9 and the continued use of thiomersal in eyedrops has been questioned. 3 We have not found contamination in thiomersal preserved bottles, but in our study only 13 bottles using this preservative were collected from the outpatient clinics. Whichever preservative is used, multidrop dropper bottles are known to be a vector for potential contamination from one patient to another'2 and care should be exercised in the drop application technique.…”

Assessment of bacterial contamination of three multidose ophthalmic solutions

“…We conclude that proparacaine, tropicamide and eye wash used in veterinary ophthalmology examination rooms are adequately preserved and do not experience clinically significant bacterial contamination when aseptically administered by staff, students and doctors. These multidose ophthalmic solution bottles are appropriate for use in ophthalmic examination and have an acceptable level of bacterial contamination after 1 or 2 weeks of use when stored and administered according to the recommendations of the product manufacturers and previous studies 12 …”

“…These multidose ophthalmic solution bottles are appropriate for use in ophthalmic examination and have an acceptable level of bacterial contamination after 1 or 2 weeks of use when stored and administered according to the recommendations of the product manufacturers and previous studies. 12…”

“…As the consequences of ophthalmic solution contamination can be severe, many studies in the human literature have evaluated ocular solution contamination as a source of ocular infection 2,6–10 . Published rates of bacterial contamination in ophthalmic solution bottles are reported to be anywhere from 0.07 to 34.8% 2,8,11,12 . There are few studies that have addressed ophthalmic solution contamination in the veterinary literature.…”

“…2,[6][7][8][9][10] Published rates of bacterial contamination in ophthalmic solution bottles are reported to be anywhere from 0.07 to 34.8%. 2,8,11,12 There are few studies that have addressed ophthalmic solution contamination in the veterinary literature. Only one study has evaluated the potential risk of iatrogenic transmission of microbes, but this study evaluated viral contamination.…”