Povidone iodine is cheap and active against all type of micro organism including bacteria,virus, fungus and protozoa; with no risk of developing resistance. I have been using 2.5% topical povidone ( 10% diluted to 2.5%) iodine for common type of conjunctivitis successfully for the 10 years. Now a days 5% ophthalmic preparation is available which is more costly than topical preparation. But the most of the ophthalmologist are not interested to use this cheap drug in external ocular infection.
Prescribing different costly ophthalmic antibiotics for conjunctivitis instead of a povidone iodine preparation depends on various factors, including the nature of the infection, patient factors, and healthcare provider preferences. Here are some potential advantages of using ophthalmic antibiotics over povidone iodine for treating .conjunctivitis,Targeted Antibiotic Therapy,Rapid Symptom Relief, Prevention of Complications, Reduced Risk of Allergic Reactions, Preservation of Normal Flora, Convenience and Ease of Use, Guidelines and Clinical Practice, While ophthalmic antibiotics may be more costly than povidone iodine preparations, their targeted antimicrobial activity, rapid symptom relief, and potential to prevent complications justify their use in certain cases of bacterial conjunctivitis.
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