Penetration of moxifloxacin through crosslinked corneas

To determine the ability of moxifloxacin to penetrate the rabbit eye after corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL) with riboflavin and ultraviolet-A light irradiation.

Harlan Biotech Israel, Rehovot, Israel.

Experimental study.

One eye of 10 New Zealand white rabbits had CXL treatment. One month after treatment and 1 hour before an aqueous humor sample was obtained, 1 drop of 5 mg/mL moxifloxacin (Vigamox) was applied to both eyes of each rabbit every 15 minutes for a total of 4 drops. The aqueous humor samples were sent for high-performance liquid chromatography for antibiotic-concentration analysis. The eyes were enucleated and sent for histology analysis.

Moxifloxacin levels were obtained and analyzed for all 20 eyes. The mean level of moxifloxacin was 2.26 μg/mL ± 0.89 (SD) (range 1.09 to 4.20 μg/mL) in the treated eyes and 2.43 ± 1.17 μg/mL (range 0.89 to 4.72 μg/mL) in the untreated eyes. The difference between the groups was not statistically significant. Of the 10 eye pairs, lower moxifloxacin aqueous humor concentrations were found in 6 treated eyes and 4 untreated eyes.

Penetration of moxifloxacin into the anterior chamber of rabbits was not influenced by previous CXL treatment.

No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.