Background: Contact lens-related microbial keratitis is a cause of potentially sight-threatening corneal opacification. Effective initial antimicrobial therapy is crucial to prevent long-term complications. This investigation was undertaken to test the effectiveness of current routine empirical antibiotic treatment regimens.
Methods/patients: All consecutive cases of contact lens-related keratitis presenting in the outpatient clinic of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Medical University of Innsbruck between January 2010 and April 2012 were retrospectively analyzed.
Results: Cultures were positive in 69 out of the 123 cases included in the study. Culture results identified 59.4 % Gram positive strains, 50.7 % Gram negative strains and 7.2 % fungal strains. Mixed infections accounted for 29 % of cases. The combination of an aminoglycoside and a second generation quinolone antibiotic was the most common initial treatment regimen (87.8 %). In vitro this regimen was less effective compared to combinations of moxifloxacin and ciprofloxacin or moxifloxacin and gentamicin.
Conclusion: Empirical combined regimens remain an effective treatment of contact lens-related keratitis. Fluoroquinolones proved to be inadequate for monotherapy.