STUDIES IN TONOMETER STERILIZATION

All the chemical or physical methods used hitherto for the sterilization of Schiötz tonometers, fail to give in practice rapid and secure results. For the applanation tonometer the situation is more favourable. All parts in contact with the eye are smooth; they may easily be cleaned and sterilized. Chemical methods and heat sterilization must be discarded, but ultraviolet light is easily used. 432 carefully sterilized contact cones have been contaminated by a nutrient broth of hemolytic Staphylococcus aureus and of Pseudomonas pyocyanea and then exposed to ultraviolet radiations during 5-420 seconds. The degree of sterility obtained by this procedure is in direct proportion to time and intensity of radiation. For practical purposes a small apparatus has been built for the conservation and automatic sterilization of the contact cones for applanation tonometry. © 1969 Dr. W. Junk N.V.