STERILIZATION AND INFECTION CONTROL IN OPHTHALMIC OPERATION THEATRES: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Sterilization and infection control are essential for ensuring patient safety during ophthalmic surgery. Although the risk of infection after ophthalmic surgery is low, inadequate cleaning and sterilization of surgical instruments or poor adherence to aseptic techniques can lead to serious complications such as postoperative endophthalmitis and toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS). These complications may result in severe inflammation, permanent vision loss, and the need for additional treatment or surgery. As the number of ophthalmic procedures, particularly cataract surgeries, continues to increase worldwide, effective infection prevention has become more important than ever.This narrative review aims to summarizes the current evidence on sterilization methods, infection control practices, reprocessing of ophthalmic surgical instruments, operation theatre management, and recent technologies that improve patient safety. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. Relevant international guidelines from organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Association of perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN), and the Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control (APSIC) were also reviewed.