Preoperative eye disinfection in vitrectomy surgery using antibiotic or antiseptic eyedrops.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy of preoperative eye disinfection by comparing antibiotic and antiseptic eye drops.

Design: Prospective, randomized double-masked comparative study with three study arms: untreated, antibiotic treated and antiseptic treated.

Methods: Patients that were scheduled for vitrectomy were asked to use an antibiotic or antiseptic eye drop 4 times a day, 5 days before the surgery. Conjunctival smear was cultured at the onset of the surgery. Culture results for each study arm were compared.

Results: Comparable results were found in the patients treated with an antibiotic or antiseptic eye drop.

Conclusions: Since an antiseptic eye drop will cause less bacterial resistance than an antibiotic eye drop, and both treatments have a similar antibacterial effect, this study indicates that prophylactic antiseptic eye drops may be preferred over antibiotic treatment, when prophylaxis is needed.