Purulent Conjunctivitis | Right Decisions

Micro Organisms

Staph. aureus, Strep. pyogenes, Strep. pneumonia, Haemophillus spp., Moraxella catarrhalis

Key points	Treatment	Dose and frequency	Duration
1^st line	sterile saline
2^nd line	chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops 4 times daily PLUS 1% ointment at night		Continue for 48 hours after healing
3^rd line	gentamicin 0.3% eye drops – 4 times daily (severe infection - up to 2-hourly)
*Staphylococcus* *aureus*	fusidic acid 1% eye drops – twice daily

Fusidic acid has less gram negative coverage - only use when guided by cultures

Remove contact lenses until all symptoms and signs of infection have resolved and treatment complete for 24 hours