THE EFFICACY OF SOFT CONTACT-LENS DISINFECTION SOLUTIONS AGAINST SERRATIA-MARCESCENS AND PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA

Samples of five different solutions for disinfection of soft contact l enses were experimentally inoculated with a strain of Pseudomonas aeru ginosa or Serratia marcescens. No bacteria could be detected after one hour in solutions with biguanids, while they survived in reduced numb er up to 72 h in solutions with polyquaternium as active substance. Ho wever, prolonged survival after one week could not be detected. Lenses treated with polyquaternium based contact lens disinfectant solutions overnight may still harbour bacteria, which might increase the risk f or bacterial complications, such as keratitis.