Purpose: To evaluate the ability of a hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) to serve as a drug-delivery system for commercially available gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin.
Setting: David J. Apple, MD, Laboratories for Ophthalmic Devices Research, John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Methods: Hydrophilic acrylic IOLs (C-flex, Rayner Ltd.), presoaked for 24 hours in commercially available solutions of gatifloxacin (Zymar) or moxifloxacin (Vigamox), were implanted in the capsular bag of 6 rabbits for a total of 12 eyes (6 in each group). Aqueous humor samples were taken 2, 4, and 6 hours after implantation. One rabbit served as a control and had nonpresoaked C-flex IOLs implanted. At the end of the operation, 1 drop of Vigamox was applied to the right eye and 1 drop of Zymar was applied to the left eye of the control rabbit.
Results: High concentrations of both antibiotics were found in all the samples of the eyes implanted with the presoaked IOLs. The concentrations of the antibiotics decreased over time, but even the 6-hour sample concentrations were markedly higher than the concentrations found in the control rabbit after 4 hours.
Conclusion: The results suggest that the Rayner C-flex IOL can be effective as a drug-delivery system for fourth-generation fluoroquinolones.