Antibiotics

• Used topically in prophylaxis (pre and postoperatively) and treatment of ocular bacterial infections.

• Used orally for the treatment of preseptal cellulitis

  • e.g. amoxycillin with clavulonate, cefaclor

• Used intravenously for the treatment of orbital cellulitis

  • e.g. gentamicin, cephalosporin, vancomycin, flagyl

• Can be injected intravitally for the treatment of endophthalmitis

Antibiotics for Specific Conditions

• Trachoma can be treated by topical and systemic tetracycline or erythromycin, or systemic azithromycin.

• Bacterial keratitis (bacterial corneal ulcers) can be treated by topical fortified penicillins, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, vancomycin or fluoroquinolones.

• Bacterial conjunctivitis is usually self-limited but topical erythromycin, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, or chloramphenicol can be used