Bacterial flora--A potential source of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To study bacteria from eye lids and conjunctival sac of patients undergoing cataract surgery before and after the application of antiseptics. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Patients undergoing elective cataract extraction in one university hospital were randomly enrolled. Cultures for bacteria and candida were done by swabbing the eye lids before and after cleaning with 4% chlorhexidine gluconate. Subsequently 10% povidone iodine was applied on eye lids and conjunctival sacs. Cultures of specimens from eye lids and conjunctival sac were taken after the application of 10% povidone iodine and at the end of the operation. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients were enrolled. Positive cultures were found in 90.2% and 82.4% before and after cleaning the face with 4% chlorhexidine. After topical application of 10% povidone iodine, only 19.6% had positive cultures from eye lids and conjunctival sac; a significant reduction (p=0.001). At the end of the operation, positive cultures were found from eye lids in 10 patients and from the conjunctival sac in 4 patients. Isolates were skin flora and candida species in 2 patients. None of the patients had endophthalmitis. CONCLUSION: Cleaning eye lids with 4% chlorhexidine followed by applying 10% povidone iodine was effective in decreasing skin flora in cataract surgery. The organisms were not completely eliminated. Postoperative follow-up to detect infectious complications is warranted.