Phase I/II Comparative Study of a Single Intraoperative Sub-Tenon's Capsule Injection of Triamcinolone and Ciprofloxacin in a Controlled-Release System Versus 1% Prednisolone and 0.3% Ciprofloxacin Eyedrops for Cataract Surgery

Topical steroids effectively control ocular inflammation, but are associated with the well-recognized problems of patient compliance. Injection of depot corticosteroids into sub-Tenon's capsule is an established method of treating various ocular inflammatory diseases. Its prolonged therapeutic effect has provided the ophthalmologist with an alternative tool for the treatment of different diseases that may be extended to the surgical arena to modulate postoperative inflammation.

The use of topical antibiotic agents poses unique and challenging hurdles for drug delivery, especially because recent reports have suggested that the incidence of endophthalmitis may be increasing. Exploiting the permeability of the sclera, subconjunctival routes may offer a more promising alternative for enhanced drug delivery and tissue targeting compared with topical routes. In theory, the combination of an antibiotic with a steroid in a controlled-release system delivered transscleral could be feasible after cataract surgery to achieve several clinical objectives, i.e., eliminate topical medications, enhance patient compliance, improve drug bioavailability, and protect the patient from infection.