Far-Ultraviolet C Disinfection Reduces Oxidative Damage to the Cornea Compared to Povidone-Iodine Disinfection

Far-ultraviolet C (far-UVC) light shows promise for pathogen control but its safety and efficacy for corneal disinfection remain unclear. In this study, safe far-UVC dosages were investigated for corneal disinfection and its germicidal performance and oxidative damage potential to 5% povidone-iodine (PVP-I) were compared. Rat corneas were exposed to varying 222 nm far-UVC doses (3-60 mJ/cm²) and assessed for ocular damage, apoptosis, and oxidative stress to determine the safe dose of far-UVC. Far-UVC at 30 mJ/cm² induced corneal apoptosis and oxidative damage, but 15 mJ/cm² caused no apoptosis or oxidative damage. At this optimized dose (9 mJ/cm²), far-UVC achieved 90.5% sterilization, exceeding 5% PVP-I (80.8%), with significantly less oxidative damage and cell death in the cornea. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the use of 5% povidone-iodine (PVP-I) for disinfection results in significant oxidative damage to the corneal tissue. However, a safe dosage of far-UVC light exhibited a promising disinfection effect without causing oxidative damage to the corneal tissue. Far-UVC offers a promising alternative for corneal disinfection but requires careful dosage control (≤30 mJ/cm²) to avoid ocular surface harm.