[Penetration of amikacin into the anterior chamber of the human eye].

The authors compared amikacin penetration into the aqueous humor after intraveinous and subconjunctival administration, by samples taken at cataract surgery. Of 12 patients divided into 4 groups, given 500 mg of intraveinous amikacin at one to four hours before surgery, none showed detectable aqueous levels; whereas, the plasma level was maximum at one hour (25.5 +/- 4.5 micrograms/ml). Of 18 cases similarly divided into 4 groups given 30 mg of subconjunctival amikacin, aqueous levels of the drug were detectable at 24 minutes (6.2 +/- 5.2 micrograms/ml) and increased thereafter to 177.5 +/- 11.45 micrograms/ml at the maximum time allowed of 3 hours. No plasma levels were detected at time. Based on prior reports of the minimum inhibiting concentration of amikacin, subconjunctival administration would appear to provide effective aqueous levels for the prophylaxis and treatment of susceptable bacterial infections.