They don't mention what brands...DOes anyone know if this includes preservative-free artificial tears??

Read TOP STORIES 2/17/2006
Some preservative-free eye drops at risk of contamination



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Certain preservative-free eye drops in multiple-application containers are at risk of contamination by potentially pathogenic microorganisms, a recent study found.

M.Q. Rahman and colleagues at the Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology in Glasgow collected 95 bottles of 10 different types of nonpreserved eyes drops from both inpatients and outpatients. Bottles were collected on day 3 from inpatients and on day 7 from outpatients.

“Significant bacterial growth was found in eight bottles,” the authors said, for an overall incidence of 8.4%. None of 53 bottles containing antibiotic eye drops showed signs of contamination, but the overall incidence of contamination in nonantibiotic bottles was 19%.

Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose appeared to be the most often contaminated (60%), followed by prednisolone (21.4%) and acetylcysteine (11.1%).

Seven types of organisms were identified in the eye drops, including Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staphylococcus and alpha streptococcus. S. aureus was the most common microbial organism found, the study authors said.

“Preservative-free eye drops in multiple-application containers are at risk of contamination with potentially pathogenic microorganisms,” the authors said. “The prescription of these drops to patients with compromised ocular surface defenses needs to be considered with caution.”

The study is published in the February issue of British Journal of Ophthalmology

quote:

M.Q. Rahman and colleagues at the Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology in Glasgow collected 95 bottles of 10 different types of nonpreserved eyes drops from both inpatients and outpatients.

It says "10 different eypes" ....
It also DOES NOT say these are artificial tears specifically. To me, 10 different types could mean just about all of anything. I didn't see specifics to artificial tears.

Hello Phyllis,

This report seems to be regarding multiple use bottles of drops only. If you use unpreserved drops from single-use vials, I would expect you should have no trouble since they are sealed by the manufacturer.

Lynne