Normal Conjunctival Flora

Ejaz Ahmad Javed; Muhammad Sultan; Rana Qaisar Mehmood

doi:10.29054/apmc/2008.622

Ejaz Ahmad Javed Senior Registrar, Ophthalmology, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad
Muhammad Sultan Head of Ophthalmology Department. Allied Hospital, Faisalabad
Rana Qaisar Mehmood Associate Professor Pathology Department Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad

DOI: https://doi.org/10.29054/apmc/2008.622

Keywords: Conjunctival flora, culture media, growth, no growth

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of normal conjunctival flora and its types. Study Design: An observational study. Place And Duration of Study: At Ophtha-lmological Department, DHQ/Allied Hospital, PMC, Faisalabad, from November 2006 to February 2007. Patients And Methods: This study was performed on 500 patients, aged form 20 years to 70 years with normal looking eyes. The samples of sterile stuart’s swab were made on conjunctiva of patients, without touching eyelashes or lid margins. The swabs were touched with conjunctiva of both eyes and placed in stuart’s transparent media to shift to microbiological laboratory. Results: Out of 500 swabs 412 (82.4%) showed no growth while 78 (15.6%) showed microbial growth. Out of these 78 swabs, there were 44 (56.41%) having normal flora, while 34 (43.59%) had other pathogens. Conclusion: The normal looking eyes harbour different types of the organisms. Any trauma, accidental hurt or elective surgical procedure is not free from risk of conjunctival infection, keratits or endophthalmitis etc.