Using ATP measurements to rapidly evaluate the cleanliness of spectacle surfaces

Six cleaning methods were tested on ten worn spectacles each, and ATP levels were correlated with both aerobic and anaerobic bacterial counts. All investigated cleaning methods showed a significant median reduction of the ATP content on spectacle surfaces, between 75 and 93%. Germ counts and ATP levels showed no significant correlation for aerobic but for anaerobic cultivation. Higher anaerobic germ counts correlated positively with higher ATP levels. ATP measurement is a suitable method to rapidly and easily demonstrate the efficacy of cleaning measures for spectacle surfaces also under non laboratory conditions.