Cytotoxicity of topical medications used for infection and inflammation control after cataract surgery in cultured corneal endothelial cells.

Postoperative vision-threatening corneal edema sometimes occurs after eye surgery, and corneal endothelial damage may be caused or exacerbated by drug toxicity. A range of commercially available antibiotic and anti-inflammatory ophthalmic solutions used postoperatively, namely levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, cefmenoxime, diclofenac, bromfenac, pranoprofen, betamethasone, and fluoromethorone, were assessed by using human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs). Propylparaoxybenzoate and methylparaoxybenzoate were also examined. Cell survival after 48 h exposure to the drugs was evaluated using the WST assay. Cefmenoxime and betamethasone were the least toxic antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drug, respectively. Cell survival was concentration dependent and increased markedly to ≥ 80% with dilutions of 100-fold or more. Two preservatives seemed to cause minimal cytotoxicity among those tested. Antibiotic cytotoxicity to HCEC was ranked as cefmenoxime < levofloxacin = gatifloxacin < moxifloxacin, while the toxicity of anti-inflammatory drugs was dependent on benzalkonium chloride and polysorbate. These drugs are unlikely to cause HCEC damage at the concentrations used under the usual conditions. Preservatives are essential ingredients in ophthalmic solutions to control postoperative infection and inflammation and we should be aware of their toxicity as well as efficacy.