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Evaluating the Effectiveness of Disinfecting Solution and Antibiotics at Reducing Bacterial Contamination on Contact Lenses.

Abstract

Infection of the cornea is called Keratitis and is one of the main causes of blindness around the world. There has been a significant increase in Bacterial Keratitis, particularly in people that use extended-wear contact lenses. Bacterial Keratitis is the most common form of Keratitis and is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Bacterial Keratitis is usually caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. Propper care, storage and cleaning of contact lenses is very important in preventing Bacterial Keratitis. The aim of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of several popular contact lens cleaning and storage solutions at disinfecting bacteria on contact lens and determining the most appropriate antibiotic to use for treating eye infections by P. aeruginosa, S. pneumoniae and S. aureus. Soft contact lenses were contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus for 48 hrs. The lens was treated with saline (control), Equate, Bio true, Opti free and Blink for 24 hrs. ATP determination using Hygienic ATP test swabs indicated that Equate and Bio true were the most effective at reducing or inhibiting bacterial growth. The Kirby Bower test indicated that Tetracycline was most effective against P. aeruginosa and streptomycin, tetracycline and erythromycin were most effective against S. aureus. S. pneumoniae was inhibited by all the antibiotics tested.

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