Laboratory evaluation of chemical disinfection of soft contact lenses
Penley, C.A.; Schlitzer, R.L.; Ahearn, D.G.; Wilson, L.A.
Contact and Intraocular Lens Medical Journal 7(2): 101-110
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0360-1358 PMID: 7023825 Document Number: 174640
Laboratory procedures were developed from generalized guidelines recommended by the Food and Drug Administration of the USA Department of Health and Human Services for the evaluation of chemical disinfection systems for soft contact leses and applied to 2 commercially available systems. Of the 3 sp. of bacteria tested, Serratia marcescens persisted for the longest time period (6 h) on lenses which were treated with a complete cleaning regimen. The use of S. marcescens as a challenge organism was recommended. Chlorhexidine-based (CX) soaking solution gave more rapid disinfection than an alkyl triethanol ammonium chloride (TEAC) solution. Both systems effectively inhibited high levels of inocula adsorbed to soft contact lenses, but inconsistent results were obtained with the TEAC solution with inocula of 102-103 cells.