Is your office safe? Yes.
Contact lens (CL) fitting carries the risk of transmitting infectious agents, including adenovirus and Pseudomonas. Therefore, a number of precautions must be observed to ensure safety in the office. Paramount among these is hand washing, both immediately after contact with a patient's eyes and again between patients. Equally important is that all trial lenses and CLs removed from patients be disinfected before reuse. Low-water-content soft CLs can be heat disinfected; high-water-content CLs require chemical treatment. A combination of surfactant cleaning with a chlorhexidine-containing agent and hydrogen peroxide disinfection is preferred for rigid lenses to guarantee destruction of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The proper use of lens care solutions is also necessary to minimize the risk of their becoming contaminated with pathogenic organisms. Only commercially prepared solutions should be used, preferably in small-volume bottles that are frequently replaced. Preservative-free solutions should be discarded after 1 day's use, whereas preserved solutions may be used for up to 2 weeks. Sterile saline rather than tap water is recommended for rinsing rigid lenses. Finally, part of the clinician's responsibility in running a safe office is to educate patients about these hygienic practices.
Department of Ophthalmology, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
E J
EJ
Cohen
D000056:Accident Prevention; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003261:Contact Lenses / Q000009:adverse effects; D004203:Disinfection; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006801:Humans; D009819:Office Visits; D010824:Physicians' Offices / Q000592:standards*; D012449:Safety