Eyewear contamination levels in the operating room: infection risk

Area of Science:

• Infection Control
• Microbiology
• Surgical Safety

Background:

• Operating room contamination is a significant concern for patient safety.
• Eyewear is frequently used in surgical settings and can harbor microorganisms.
• Current protocols for eyewear disinfection may not be fully effective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify microbial contamination on disposable and reusable surgical eyewear.
• To assess the effectiveness of disinfection on reusable eyewear.
• To inform the development of improved operating room infection control protocols.

Main Methods:

• Samples were collected from used disposable and reusable eyewear.
• Microbial cultures were performed on eyewear before and after disinfection.
• Contamination rates were calculated for each eyewear type.

Main Results:

• A high percentage of both disposable (37.7%) and reusable (94.9%) eyewear were contaminated after use.
• Even after disinfection, a substantial portion of reusable eyewear (74.4%) remained contaminated.
• Reusable eyewear consistently showed higher microbial loads.

Conclusions:

• Disposable eyewear may present a lower risk of intercase contamination in the operating room.
• Reusable eyewear can retain bioburden, potentially contributing to the overall operating room microbial environment.
• Antimicrobial eyewear materials and enhanced decontamination methods warrant investigation to mitigate risks.