The effect of gatifloxacin 0.3% or moxifloxacin 0.5% on corneal healing, ocular tolerability and toxicity following pterygium surgery

Purpose: To compare the rate of corneal epithelial healing and ocular tolerability following pterygium surgery between gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin. Methods: In this double masked, prospective, controlled study 40 patients were randomized to receive prophylactic topical gatifloxacin 0.3% or moxifloxacin 0.5% following pterygium surgery. Patients were examined on days 1, 3, 7 and 21 post-operatively or until complete corneal epithelial healing. The primary outcome measure was the area of corneal epithelial defect during the post-operative period. Patients graded post-operative ocular pain, foreign body sensation, tearing, general burning sensation and burning sensation post-antibiotic drops instillation on a scale of 1-5. Conjunctival hyperemia and superficial punctate keratopathy (SPK) were measured on a scale of 0-3. Results: No significant differences between groups were found in terms of corneal epithelial defect percentage over time (p=0.989) and there was no significant difference between groups on each of the post-operative days. No significant differences were noted in terms of post-operative ocular pain, foreign body sensation, tearing, general burning sensation, burning sensation post-antibiotic drops instillation, conjunctival hyperemia and SPK. Conclusions: Gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin showed equivalent results in terms of corneal epithelial healing and ocular tolerability following pterygium surgery. This study suggests that there was no apparent added epithelial toxicity due to the presence of benzalkonium chloride in the gatifloxacin preparation when compared to moxifloxacin.