Prolonged aqueous humor levels of subconjunctival antibiotics after treatment with acetazolamide and/or timolol.

ABSTRACT

Many ophthalmologists routinely administer subconjunctival antibiotics at the end of cataract surgery for prophylaxis against bacterial endophthalmitis. Additionally they use acetazolamide and/or timolol to control intraocular pressure in the first 24-hour postoperative period. An animal study was undertaken to learn whether treatment with the aqueous humor suppressants, acetazolamide, and timolol prolongs the concentrations of antibiotics in the aqueous humor after subconjunctival administration of the antibiotic. Treatment with acetazolamide significantly increased concentrations of piperacillin; it had less consistent effects on tobramycin levels. Timolol treatment did not produce increased piperacillin concentrations at six hours; however, concentrations at 12 and 24 hours were significantly higher than in the controls. Timolol treatment increased tobramycin concentrations only at six hours. The combined use of timolol and acetazolamide produced significantly higher concentrations of piperacillin, but not of tobramycin.