Contribution of regimen steps to disinfection of hydrophilic contact lenses.

The effect of regimen steps on overall performance of contact lens disinfection processes was evaluated. Hydrophilic lenses were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Candida albicans, or Fusarium solani. Contributions of regimen steps and rinse volumes to disinfection abilities of OPTI-FREE EXPRESS, Solo-care Plus (Ciba Vision), Complete (Allergan), and ReNu MultiPlus (Bausch & Lomb) multi-purpose solutions were examined. Numbers of surviving microorganisms were determined. Results showed that the number and timing of regimen steps was directly related to performance of products. OPTI-FREE EXPRESS solution showed fewer survivors than did other products. Minimizing regimen steps could adversely affect product efficacy.