BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To compare the aqueous humor levels of 0.3% oflox
acin and 0.3% ciprofloxacin containing eyedrops in patients with healthy co
rnea.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty patients with cataract were randomly assigned t
o have 0.3% ofloxacin containing eyedrop (25 patients) or 0.3% ciprofloxaci
n containing eyedrop (25 patients). Both drugs were repetitively instilled
to each patient for 6 hours before the surgery. Aqueous samples were collec
ted after penetrating the anterior chamber during cataract extraction and a
ssayed by high-performance liquid chromatography method.
RESULTS: The aqueous humor level of ofloxacin (1.43 +/- 0.26 mu g/ml, mean
+/- SEM) was significantly higher than that of ciprofloxacin (0.35 +/- 0.07
mu g/ml) following the topical application (P < .0002).
CONCLUSION: Aqueous humor penetration of topical ofloxacin is about 4 times
higher than that of topical ciprofloxacin when the drugs are applied as de
scribed above.