INTRAOCULAR GENTAMICIN SULFATE AND POSTCATARACT ANTERIOR-CHAMBER ASPIRATE CULTURES

We cultured anterior chamber aspirates of 28 patients who had uncompli cated cataract surgery. Fourteen patients had received 80 mug/ml of ge ntamicin in balanced salt solution through irrigation of the anterior chamber throughout cataract extraction, and 14 patients had received 8 mug/ml of gentamicin. Cultures of anterior chamber fluid obtained at the end of surgery from all 28 patients had no growth on two nonselect ive media. There was no clinical evidence of ocular toxicity. This stu dy demonstrates that antibiotic in the intraocular irrigation fluid ca n reduce or eliminate the expected intraocular bacterial load after ca taract surgery.