The intraocular penetration and retinal toxicity of teicoplanin.

We investigated the intraocular penetration and retinal toxicity of teicoplanin, a relatively new glycopeptide antibiotic with activity similar to vancomycin when used to inhibit staphylococci and other gram positive organisms, particularly Streptococcus faecalia. Topically administered teicoplanin penetrated poorly into the aqueous and vitreous in rabbit eyes. Subconjunctival injection of the drug yielded aqueous levels above the minimum inhibiting concentration (3.1 micrograms/ml) only at one hour after injection. In the vitreous, drug levels were above the mean inhibitory concentration at 30 minutes after the subconjunctival injection, but rapidly declined thereafter. The maximum nontoxic, single-dose, intravitreal injection was 750 micrograms/0.1 ml. Rabbits received 8 micrograms/ml of teicoplanin in an intravitreal infusion solution without demonstrable retinal toxicity.