Microbial Contamination of Topical Eye Drugs.

Lee, Yu Hwan; Hahn, Young Ho; Roh, Joo Hun

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 1996;37(5):879-886.
Published online May 1, 1996.

Microbial Contamination of Topical Eye Drugs.

Yu Hwan Lee, Young Ho Hahn, Joo Hun Roh

Department of Ophthalmology, Kosin Medical College, Puasn, Korea.

점안약의 오염에 관한 연구

이유환(Yu Hwan Lee),한영호(Young Ho Hahn),노주헌(Joo Hun Roh)

Abstract

In order to evaluate contamination of the topical eye drugs, 112(36 kinds) medications used over 1 month by the patients and 80(25 kinds) medications used at OPD(outpatient department) were studied by culturing the caps, the tips and the contents. Coagulase-negative staphylococcus was mainly isolated from the caps and the tips(p<0.05). But the other gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria and fungi were isolated from all medication sites. The most frequent site of contamination was the tips of the medications. Frequency of contamination based on detail of medications and preservatives of medications was not statistically significant(p>0.05). The medications used by the patients for a long time in comparison with the medications used at OPD were significantly more likely to be contaminated(p<0.0001). Therefore, we think that the topical eye durgs should be used with proper instillation and storage for a short period because of increase risk of contamination.

Key Words: Contamination;Culturing;Medication sites;Topical eye drugs