Antimicrobial Activity of Acrylic Intraocular Lenses Soaked in Fourth Generation Fluoroquinolones

Abstract

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to determine whether a commercially available brand of intraocular lenses (IOLs) soaked in moxifloxacin or gatifloxacin for 1 or 60 min have antimicrobial properties.

Methods:

The IOLs (N = 8–10/group) were soaked in saline, physiologic-strength moxifloxacin (1.8 μg/mL), or gatifloxacin (0.48 μg/mL) for 60 min or commercial-strength moxifloxacin (5 mg/mL) or gatifloxacin (3 mg/mL) for 1 or 60 min. Presoaked IOLs and gatifloxacin antibiotic disks were plated on agar with quality-controlled ATCC 25923 Staphylococcus aureus overlay. Bacterial kill zones were measured after 24 h.

Results:

IOLs soaked in physiologic-strength gatifloxacin or saline for 60 min produced no measurable bacterial kill zone, and the mean bacterial kill zone for IOLs soaked in physiologic-strength moxifloxacin was significantly greater (P = 0.011, 0 vs. 3.88 ± 3.18 mm, respectively). Soaking the IOLs in commercial-strength moxifloxacin or gatifloxacin for 1 or 60 min produced significantly larger bacterial kill zones (P < 0.0001, mean: ≥33 mm for all groups). Soaking for 1 min produced a significantly larger mean bacterial kill zone by moxifloxacin-than gatifloxacin-treated IOLs (P = 0.002, 38.80 ± 3.74 mm, 34.30 ± 1.34 mm, respectively). The mean bacterial kill zone was significantly larger for IOLs soaked in commercial-strength moxifloxacin for 1 versus 60 min (P = 0.002, 38.80 ± 3.74 mm, 33.56 ± 1.42 mm, respectively). There was no significant difference in the mean bacterial kill zone between IOLs soaked for 1 or 60 min in commercial-strength gatifloxacin (34.30 ± 1.34 mm, 33.67 ± 0.50 mm, respectively).

Conclusion:

Commercial-grade IOLs act as a drug depot in producing antimicrobial activity in vitro.