Conjunctival and contact lens bacterial flora during continuous 'bandage' lens wear.

The conjunctival and contact lens bacterial flora in a group of 63 patients continuously wearing hydrophilic lenses for therapeutic reasons are reported. Thirty-three patients received topical antibiotics both before and during lens wear. There were no significant differences between the flora on the conjunctiva and on the posterior surface of the lenses. Coagulase negative staphylococci were the most commonly occurring microorganisms. Of these, Staph. epidermidis was the predominant species. Before lens fitting the conjunctival flora was significantly more scant in the group receiving topical antibiotics than in the other group (P less than 0.05). The same group showed an apparently increased bacterial growth after lens fitting, while an opposite trend was noted in the group not receiving topical antibiotics. However, none of these changes were even remotely statistically significant. The fitting of 'bandage' lenses does apparently not in itself necessitate the use of topical antibiotics.