The anti-bacterial activity of topical anti-infective eye preparations
Ashley, K.C.
Medical Laboratory Sciences 43(2): 157-162
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0308-3616 PMID: 3736367 Document Number: 285308
The antimicrobial susceptibilities of 319 pathogenic bacteria which cause infection of the external eye were determined and the active agents of 10 common topical eye preparations tested by the agar dilution minimum inhibitory concentration method. Very low levels of resistance were found to chloromycetin (chloramphenicol) and to the neosporin mixture (polymyxin B, neomycin and gramicidin). It is suggested that either of these preparations should be used as 'best guess' therapy. If Streptococcus faecalis is isolated it is suggested that chloromycetin should be used, while if Pseudomonas aeruginosa is isolated then either genticin/tobralex or neosporin should be the treatment of choice.