Fluoroquinolones in the treatment of bacterial keratitis.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the potential role of three topical fluoroquinolones in the treatment of bacterial keratitis by means of a laboratory database.

METHODS: Antibiotic susceptibilities were determined for 153 isolates from patients with bacterial keratitis. Results were analyzed for each fluoroquinolone individually and in combination with cefazolin.

RESULTS: Predicted susceptibility to each cefazolin-fluoroquinolone combination (98.7%) was superior to that for single-agent therapy with ofloxacin (88.2%), ciprofloxacin (82.3%), or norfloxacin (80.4%) (P = .0002). A cefazolin-fluoroquinolone combination (98.7%) was comparable to a cefazolin-gentamicin combination (97.4%).

CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with cefazolin and a fluoroquinolone offers a reasonable alternative for the treatment of bacterial keratitis. Single-agent therapy with fluoroquinolones for vision-threatening bacterial keratitis is not advised.