PENETRATION OF TOPICALLY APPLIED CIPROFLOXACIN, NORFLOXACIN AND OFLOXACIN INTO THE AQUEOUS-HUMOR OF THE UNINFLAMED HUMAN EYE

This study was undertaken to compare aqueous humor penetration of topi cal 0.3% ciprofloxacin, 0.3% norfloxacin and 0.3% ofloxacin in 63 pati ents undergoing cataract surgery. The patients were divided into two g roups. Group 1 (long-term treatment) involved 30 patients undergoing c ataract extraction who received either 0.3% ciprofloxacin, 0.3% norflo xacin or 0.3% ofloxacin topical drops. Each patient was preoperatively given a single drop per hour six times. At the time of surgery, 0.1 m i aqueous fluid was aspirated from the anterior chamber and immediatel y stored at -70 degrees C. Topically applied ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and norfloxacin achieved mean aqueous humor levels of 2.80+/-1.07, 2.9 5+/-1.19 and 1.50+/-0.48 mu g/ml respectively. There was no statistica lly significant difference in intraocular mean aqueous levels of cipro floxacin versus ofloxacin. Topical ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin achieve d mean aqueous humor levels significantly higher than norfloxacin (p<0 .001 and p<0.0008 respectively). Group 2 (short-term treatment) involv ed 33 patients undergoing cataract extraction who received 0.3% ciprof loxacin, 0.3% ofloxacin and 0.3% norfloxacin topical drops. These pati ents were given one drop at 90 minutes and one drop 30 minutes preoper atively. At the time of surgery, 0.1 mi aqueous fluid was aspirated fr om the anterior chamber and immadiately stored at -70 degrees C. Topic ally applied ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and norfloxacin achieved mean aq ueous humor levels of 1.11+/-0.50, 1.50+/-0.62 and 1.20+/-0.43 mu g/ml respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in in traocular mean aqueous humor levels of ofloxacin versus norfloxacin an d ciprofloxacin versus norfloxacin. Topical ofloxacin achieved a signi ficantly higher mean aqueous humor level than ciprofloxacin (p<0.03). All levels were above the minumum inhibitory concentrations of ciprofl oxacin, ofloxacin and norfloxacin for most of the sensitive organisms.