PREOPERATIVE DISINFECTION OF THE CONJUNCTIVAL SAC IN CATARACT-SURGERY

Conjunctival cultures were obtained from 488 patients undergoing catar act extraction. Bacterial isolation rates from the lids and conjunctiv a were 84.6 and 36.7, respectively. Propionibacterium acnes was the on ly anaerobic organism identified. A significantly lower incidence of P . acnes was observed in the eyes after preoperative conjunctival irrig ation using povidone-iodine solution (9%) compared with those using be nzetonium chloride solution (30%). Topical use of ofloxacin and cefmen oxime for 1 or 2 days preoperatively, and irrigation of the conjunctiv al sac with a 16-fold-diluted povidone-iodine solution for at least 30 s immediately prior to cataract surgery are recommended.