Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Use of Rabbit Eyes in Pharmacokinetic Studies of Intraocular Drugs
Published on: July 23, 2016
Vitreous penetration of levofloxacin in the uninflamed phakic human eye
E N Herbert1, I A Pearce, J McGalliard
1St Paul's Eye Unit, 8Z Link, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool L7 8XP, UK. enherbert@doctors.org.uk
Aims:
To assess the vitreous penetration of oral levofloxacin (a new fluoroquinolone antibiotic with improved Gram positive activity) in uninflamed phakic eyes.
Methods:
15 patients for macula hole surgery were recruited to the study. 10 received a single 500 mg dose of levofloxacin by mouth preoperatively. Five acted as controls. Serum and undiluted vitreous samples were obtained at surgery and analysed by HPLC.
Results:
Levofloxacin was detectable 2.5 hours after administration in the vitreous. A peak concentration of 1.6 microg/ml (or mg/l) was measured between 2.5 and 4 hours post-dose.
Conclusion:
Oral levofloxacin reaches the vitreous rapidly in the uninflamed phakic eye. Levels did not reach MIC(90) for the commonest infecting organisms. Nevertheless, levofloxacin would be expected to be active against a higher proportion of infecting organisms than either ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin.
