Determining the efficacy of erythromycin ointment 0.5% in protection of conjunctivitis in neonates under phototherapy with eye patches

Ophthalmia neonatorum is a form of conjunctivitis that occurs in infants younger than 4 weeks of age. It is the most common eye disease in newborns. It presents as the inflammation of mucous membrane lining posterior layer of eyelids and bulbar part of eyeball except cornea. It’s complications are corneal ulcer, corneal perforation and blindness. The aim of this randomised clinical trial was to investigate the effect of erythromycin ointment 0.5% to prevent the incidence of conjunctivitis in Icteric neonates who were under phototherapy with eye patches. A total of 200 cases of icteric newborns in Javaheri hospital who admitted for phototherapy were considered. Neonatal conjunctivitis was not correlated with gestational age, duration of admission, type of delivery, and weight. It was not associated with erythromycin use, however, there was a significant association between conjunctivitis and age of newborn. Results showed that erythromycin ointment is not useful for protecting conjunctivitis in neonates under phototherapy with eye patches.