We compared the corneal penetration in rabbits of topical tobramycin in the presence of collagen corneal shields and bandage soft contact lenses. A collagen corneal shield was placed on six albino rabbit eyes, while therapeutic soft contact lenses (61.4% poly-2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate/38.6% water) were placed on six eyes. Four control eyes received no shield or contact lens. Topical tobramycin was applied to all 16 eyes every five minutes for six doses. Samples of aqueous humor were removed at 15 and 60 minutes following the last dose. Collagen corneal shields allowed a significant (P less than .05) increase in tobramycin penetration into the anterior chamber at 60 minutes compared with hydrophilic soft contact lenses or controls.