Antiseptic Efficacy and Ocular Surface Toxicity of Povidone-Iodine and Chlorhexidine for Endophthalmitis…

Animal / preclinicalInvestigative ophthalmology & visual science· Jul 2026

Antiseptic Efficacy and Ocular Surface Toxicity of Povidone-Iodine and Chlorhexidine for Endophthalmitis Isolates.

Anam Ahmed, Heather Durkee, Alison Rodriguez Leiva … Darlene Miller

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CorneaAnimal / preclinicalQ1IF 4.2

Chlorhexidine preserved far more corneal epithelial cells than povidone-iodine in testing.

Antiseptic Efficacy and Ocular Surface Toxicity of Povidone-Iodine and Chlorhexidine for Endophthalmitis Isolates.

Anam Ahmed … Darlene Miller

Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · Jul 2026 · Q1 in Ophthalmology

Purpose

To compare the antimicrobial efficacy and ocular surface toxicity of two antiseptic agents: povidone-iodine (povidone-iodine) and chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) against clinical endophthalmitis isolates and to perform preliminary assessments of epithelial viability and inflammatory cytokine response following antiseptic exposure in a corneal tissue model.

Methods

A well diffusion assay was used to assess inhibition zones of povidone-iodine (5% and 10%) and CHX (0.05% and 0.1%) against 34 microbial isolates, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi.

n = 34 microbial isolates

Results

71%-100%

chlorhexidine kept far more cornea surface cells alive than iodine

n = 34 microbial isolates

More results

Povidone-iodine at 5% and 10% demonstrated statistically significant broader antimicrobial inhibition across most isolates compared to CHX (P < 0.05), although CHX had greater efficacy against P. aeruginosa.

Povidone-iodine at 0.025% showed no inhibition.

More results

Povidone-iodine-treated tissue showed higher IL-8 proinflammatory cytokine levels, and CHX elicited minimal inflammatory response.

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

Povidone-iodine and CHX demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity in vitro, with povidone-iodine exhibiting greater antimicrobial activity across most isolates.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

CHX was associated with higher corneal epithelial viability and a lower inflammatory response of measured cytokines.

Antiseptic Efficacy and Ocular Surface Toxicity of Povidone-Iodine and Chlorhexidine for Endophthalmitis Isolates.

Antiseptic Efficacy and Ocular Surface Toxicity of Povidone-Iodine and Chlorhexidine for Endophthalmitis Isolates.

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