Penetration of gentamicin into the aphakic eye.

The penetration of gentamicin is compared in the aphakic and phakic rabbit eye. Phakic and aphakic rabbits were treated with gentamicin by topical, subconjunctival, and intramuscular routes separately and in combination. These routes of therapy also were evaluated in aphakic eyes with experimentally induced endophthalmitis. The levels of gentamicin were, for the most part, higher in the aphakic, as opposed to the phakic eyes. Combination therapy produced higher levels in the noninfected than in the infected eyes. Aqueous levels were generally bactericidal by topical and subconjunctival routes. Levels in the vitreous by the routes of therapy employed in this study were at best inhibitory for the more virulent organisms.