Purpose To determine the antibiotic susceptibility of preoperative conjunctival bacterial flora. Methods Antibiotic susceptibility of conjunctival bacterial strains isolated from 142 patients undergoing intraocular surgery was determined using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. v 2 statistical analysis was performed.Results Among the 116 bacteria isolated, 95 (82%) were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). Most (475%) of them were susceptible to vancomycin, minocycline, aminoglycosides, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin. Approximately one-half of CNS was resistant to erythromycin and azithromycin. Over 90% of streptococci were susceptible to levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and gatifloxacin. Conclusions Fluoroquinolones, specifically gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin continue to provide broad-spectrum coverage against common conjunctival bacterial flora.

Despite the use of a needle to obtain aqueous fluid at the beginning of surgery before creating a paracentesis, the aqueous contamination rate remained higher than that found at the conclusion of surgery. A 3-day application of topical ofloxacin before surgery did not reduce the anterior chamber aqueous contamination rate relative to a 1-hour application.