Chlorhexidine gluconate 0.02% as adjunct to primary treatment for corneal bacterial ulcers.
BACKGROUND
It is common practice to use topical antiseptic formulations prior to specific therapy in superficial infections and injuries, but not in corneal bacterial ulcers. There is accumulating evidence proving chlorhexidine gluconate 0.02%, an antiseptic agent, as an effective treatment for infectious keratitis.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the safety and efficacy of chlorhexidine gluconate 0.02% as an adjunct therapy for corneal bacterial ulcers.


METHODS
Twenty-six patients with corneal bacterial ulcers were treated with standard empirical antibiotic treatment. The study group was treated with chlorhexidine gluconate 0.02% while controls received placebo for one week. The patients were followed for at least 1 month.


RESULTS
No allergic or toxic reactions were noted. Although a higher baseline severity of ulcers existed in the study group, no differences were found in final vision, scarring extent, or recovery duration.


CONCLUSIONS
Chlorhexidine gluconate 0.02% may improve the clinical course of corneal ulcers.
Geffen
Noa
N
Department of Ophthalmology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel. noatal1122@gmail.com
Norman
Galia
G
Kheradiya
Nisha S
NS
Assia
Ehud I
EI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003320:Corneal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007322:Instillation, Drug; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D002710:Chlorhexidine