LACK OF EFFECT OF PREOPERATIVE NORFLOXACIN ON BACTERIAL-CONTAMINATIONOF ANTERIOR-CHAMBER ASPIRATES AFTER CATARACT-SURGERY

Eighty patients undergoing routine standardised extracapsular cataract surgery with lens implantation were divided randomly into two groups in a prospective double blind study comparing effects of preoperative norfloxacin eyedrops with placebo on bacterial contamination of anteri or chamber aspirates after surgery. Pathogenic organisms were identifi ed from 19 (24%) of the aspirates. The most commonly isolated organism s were coagulase negative Staphylococcus species. There was no statist ical difference between the norfloxacin treated and placebo groups. Th is study demonstrates that routine use of topical preoperative antibio tics to eliminate the entry of bacteria into the eye during surgery is debatable.