PURPOSE 1) To evaluate the effects on the conjunctival flora of gentamicin ophthalmic eye drops 0.3%, given four times in 45 minutes, and a conjunctival rinse with 10 ml chlorhexidine 0.05% solution. 2) To investigate retrospectively the rate of endophthalmitis after cataract operations when these antimicrobials were applied preoperatively. METHODS Seventy-six patients undergoing standard pha...

Although the bacterial flora of the conjunctiva in children and adults has been studied, there has been no previous comparison between these two age groups of anaerobic as well as aerobic bacteria. Conjunctival cultures from 229 eyes of 144 uninfected subjects were analysed for aerobic, microaerophilic, and anaerobic bacteria. Adults showed a greater number of species per eye than did younger s...

PURPOSE To determine the conjunctival bacterial flora in cataract surgery patients and the effect of presurgical irrigation with 5% povidone-iodine solution. METHODS Three samples from the inferior conjunctival fornix of the eye to be operated were obtained at baseline before washing (T0) with 10 ml 5% povidone-iodine solution, immediately after washing (T1), and upon completion of surgery (T...

Aim of the study was to compare the bactericidal efficacy of 0.3 percent ofloxacin ophthalmic solution with 0.3 percent gatifloxacin solution on conjunctival flora. It was a prospective and randomized double blind study. One hundred patients of senile cataract were admitted to undergo cataract surgery and were divided into two groups of 50 each, with topical ofloxacin solution being instilled i...

PURPOSE To evaluate the conjunctival bacterial flora and its antibiotic resistance pattern in eyes of patients undergoing cataract surgery. METHODS From August to October 2004, 50 patients undergoing cataract surgery in the "Fundação Altino Ventura", Recife, Brazil, were prospectively evaluated. Conjunctival material was obtained on the day of surgery, before the application of topical anesth...

The eye harbours bacteria from the time of birth throughout life. Owing to its antibacterial properties, the normal conjunctival flora plays a significant role in the defence against superficial ocular infections. In view of its protective action as well as its probable role in causing ocular disease under certain circumstances, the study of the normal flora and its pattern of antibiotic suscep...

THE bacterial flora of the human conjunctiva both during life and after death has been the subject of several studies in the past. With the increasing incidence of keratoplasty and vitreous implants the study of the behaviour of the conjunctival flora after death in particular is becoming increasingly important. Some of the first recorded findings date from 1887, when Fick examined the bacteria...

PURPOSE To study the conjunctival fungal flora of patients with leprosy who live in the colony hospital and of those who deal with "Hansen" patients. METHODS Sixty-one eyes (61 patients) with Hansen's disease and twenty-five healthy eyes (25 individuals) of individuals who deal with patients were investigated. RESULTS Conjunctival fungi growth occurred in 19.67% and 20% of the patients and ...

ALTHOUGH the role of fungi as ocular pathogens has become more widely recognized (Maddren, 1941; Sykes, 1946; Mendelblatt, 1953; Mitsui and Hanabusa, 1955-; Roberts, 1957; Haggerty and Zimmerman, 1958; Mikami and Stemmermann, 1958; Fine and Zimmerman, 1959; Chick and Conant, 1962; Currie, 1963; Ainley and Smith, 1965; Jelenkiewicz, 1965; Dominiczak, Branicka, and Lewenstam, 1965), relatively li...