Potential bacterial contamination in fluorescein-anesthetic solutions.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Microbiology
• Pharmaceutical Science

Background:

• Fluorescein anesthetic solutions are used in ophthalmic procedures.
• Maintaining sterility of ophthalmic solutions and applicators is critical to prevent infections.
• Bacterial contamination of multi-use ophthalmic preparations poses a significant risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the in-vitro ability of a fluorescein-anesthetic solution (Fluress) and its applicator to regain sterility after bacterial contamination.
• To compare the antimicrobial properties of Fluress with three other commercially available fluorescein-anesthetic solutions and their respective dropper tips.

Main Methods:

• Four commercial fluorescein-anesthetic solutions, including Fluress, were tested.
• Solutions and their dropper tips were deliberately contaminated with Pseudomonas species or Staphylococcus species.
• Cultures were taken at various time points (1 minute, 5 minutes, 1 hour) post-contamination to assess bacterial regrowth.

Main Results:

• Fluress demonstrated rapid regaining of sterility, with no organisms cultured 1 minute after solution inoculation and 5 minutes after dropper tip inoculation.
• In contrast, the other three fluorescein-anesthetic preparations showed persistent bacterial presence for at least one hour post-contamination.
• The differences in the ability to regain sterility between Fluress and the other preparations were statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• Fluress exhibits superior antimicrobial properties compared to other tested fluorescein-anesthetic solutions.
• The formulation of Fluress effectively inhibits bacterial growth, contributing to applicator and solution sterility.
• These findings suggest Fluress may offer a reduced risk of microbial contamination in ophthalmic practice.