fluoroquinolone

This is a class of powerful antibiotics that is commonly used to treat eye infection and used as prophylactic treatment after cataract surgery to decrease the chance of endophthalmitis. These antibiotics are considered “broad spectrum” and are good for treating a myriad of different bacterial infections, including the dreaded pseudomonas infection common with contact lens wearers.  Examples of second-generation fluoroquinolones are ciprofloxacin (a.k.a. “cipro”) and ofloxacin. The newest generation of fluoroquinolones (gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, and besifloxacin) are quite powerful and usually reserved for more serious infections such as a corneal ulcer. In the arsenal of available eye antibiotics, fluoroquinolones are generally considered the most powerful (and expensive). The only antibiotic more powerful would be specially prepared fortified antibiotics mixed up by a compounding pharmacy.