Abstract
Objective: The present study aimed to address the advances in the treatment of Ophthalmia Neonatorum (ON). Method: This is an Integrative Review of the literature. It was having researched the Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases: Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) and Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS). It was considered the scientific production in the period 2001 to 2018, in Portuguese, English and French. The Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) were used: Ophthalmia Neonatorum; Bacterial Conjunctivitis; Credé’s method and Newborn. Results and Discussion: In recent years there has been a growing debate about the need of prophylaxis the Credé’s method, given that the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections has decreased and treatment of ON has improved, prophylaxis has some risk of developing resistance to antibiotics. Conclusion: Scientific evidence points to the benefit of prophylaxis of ON with silver nitrate, erythromycin or tetracycline ointment, and povidone-iodine (PVP-I) 2.5% ophthalmic solution. PVP-I 2.5% ophthalmic solution is an effective antibacterial agent on the conjunctiva of newborns and causes less toxicity than silver nitrate.