Comparison of Vancomycin and Cefazolin Therapeutic Efect with Povidone Iodine on Corneal Ulcer in Rabbits

Background: Corneal ulcer is a common cause of blindness in developing countries, as itleads to corneal perforation and blindness if not properly treated. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the efects of intraocular 5 % and 10 % topical povi- done iodine in the treatment of bacterial corneal ulcer in a rabbit model, comparing the efectiveness of vancomycin and cefazolin eye drops. Materials and Methods: Total of 40 eyes ofrom 20 wild rabbits were randomly assigned to four equal groups, fve in each (n = 5), they included; group 1. 5 % povidone iodine and vanco- mycin; group 2.5 % povidone iodine and cefazolin; group 3.10 % povidone iodine and vanco- mycin; group 4.10 % povidone iodine and cefazolin (one drop every two hours for seven days and nights). The animals were frst anesthetized with ketamine hydrochloride and xylazine chloride. Then, a 27-gauge needle attached to a 1-ml syringe was tunneled through the clear cornea to approximately midstromal depth, stopping at the edge of the 2-mm optical zone. Finally, 0.02 ml of Staphylococcus contaminated media containing about 100 organisms was injected, forming a central intra-stromal infltrate. Results: There was no statistically signifcant diference in the density of infltration, size of infltration, hypopyon, or fbrin formation between the four groups. However, epithelial de- fect, stromal edema, conjunctival injection, and chemosis were signifcantly higher in the 5 % and 10 % povidone iodine groups when compared to the cefazolin and vancomycin groups. Thinning was more common in the cefazolin group. There was one sealed corneal perfora- tion in the cefazolin group at the beginning, and at day 6, one perforation in the cefazolin group and one perforation in the 10 % povidone iodine group also developed. Conclusions: Cefazolin and vancomycin had a superior clinical efect on the staphylococcal corneal ulcers in this study. 5 % and 10 % povidone iodine was toxic to the corneal epithelium. Thinning and perforation was more common with cefazolin.