Reusable protective eyewear tied to greater risk of contamination.

1 Reusable protective eyewear tied to greater risk of contamination P rotective eyewear is supposed to prevent infectious materials from reaching the eyes of OR staff, but recent research has revealed a link between reusable protective eyewear and an increased risk of cross contamination and infection. “We found that the protective eyewear itself can be a causal factor in ongoing contamination,” Victor Lange, MS, MSPH, ICP, CRC, CRA, told OR Manager. “If staff are reusing eyewear between cases and not properly disinfecting them, the remaining bioburden can pose an infection risk to workers and patients.” Lange, director of infection prevention and control/quality and risk management, Promise Hospital of San Diego, has a background in research on improving outcomes related to occupational and patient infections. Not able to find existing clinical literature on eyewear contamination, Lange investigated eyewear use by OR staff and whether reusing eyewear poses a unique risk. “We know infectious pathogens can be introduced into the eyes either directly via splashes or droplets, or from touching the eyes with contaminated fingers or other objects,” says Lange. “What we found in the study is that many sprays and splashes can happen without OR staff members knowing it.” They may not feel liquid splashing them in the face, but there still can be an aerosolized mist or even a particulate matter that can be introduced into their eyes or onto eyewear, he says.