Evaluation of glutaraldehyde and povidone iodine for sterilization of wide-field contact vitrectomy lenses.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Wide-field vitrectomy contact lenses are currently sterilized with ethylene oxide gas, and other lenses with autoclaving. To maintain a large inventory or possibly run the risk of loss of lens quality with repeated autoclaving, glutaraldehyde 2% and povidone iodine 5% solution were evaluated as possible sterilizing agents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ethylene oxide presterilized lenses were contaminated with known concentrations (10(5) organisms/mL) of bacteria (S. epidemidis, P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis), and fungi (A. flavus, C. albicans) for 5 minutes. The test lenses were treated with glutaraldehyde or povidone iodine for 5, 10, 30, 60, and 120 minutes, and controls with sterilized water for a similar duration. Following treatment, both test and control lenses were sampled with sterile cotton swabs. The swabs were cultured for bacteria (tryptone soya broth 48 hours), and fungi (Saubourd's dextrose broth 5 days).

RESULTS: The culture was negative for both glutaraldehyde- and povidone iodine-treated lenses against all organisms at all time points except B subtilis, which needed 120 minutes treatment.

CONCLUSION: Two hours contact time with glutaraldehyde 2% or providone iodine 5% can sterilize vitrectomy contact lenses against common bacteria and fungi without affecting lens quality.