Controversies in Topical Antibiotics Use with Intravitreal Injections

Title:Controversies in Topical Antibiotics Use with Intravitreal Injections

Volume: 21 Issue: 32

Author(s): Stephen G. Schwartz, Harry W. Flynn and Andrzej Grzybowski

Affiliation:

Keywords: Endophthalmitis, intravitreal injections, randomized clinical trials, topical antibiotics, vascular endothelial growth factor.

Abstract: Endophthalmitis following intravitreal injection is uncommon. There are currently no randomized clinical trials evaluating the role of prophylactic topical antibiotics in this setting. Many large series have reported that topical antibiotics do not decrease, and may in fact increase the rate of endophthalmitis. The reason for this apparent paradoxical finding is unknown but may be due to changes in conjunctival flora due to repeated exposure to antibiotics. At this time, antiseptics (specifically povidone-iodine), rather than antibiotics, are preferred for the majority of patients undergoing intravitreal injections.

Cite this article as:

Schwartz G. Stephen, Flynn W. Harry and Grzybowski Andrzej, Controversies in Topical Antibiotics Use with Intravitreal Injections, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2015; 21 (32) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612821666150909101045