Twice-a-day versus four-times-a-day ofloxacin treatment of external ocular infection.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacies of 0.3% ofloxacin eyedrops, when given twice-a-day (BID) versus four-times-a-day (QID), for the treatment of external ocular disease.

METHOD: Fifty patients with blepharitis, conjuctivitis, or blepharoconjunctivitis were randomly assigned to treatment with 0.3% ofloxacin eyedrops, BID or QID, for 10 days. Signs, symptoms, and cultures were evaluated at the beginning and at the end of the study.

RESULTS

The clinical outcome was virtually identical in the two groups. There was a significant decrease in clinical scores in the BID and QID groups by days 3 to 5 (2.6-3.0 points) and a further decrease by day 11 (4.3-5.0 points). There was no significant difference between the two groups at any time interval. Microbiologic studies showed a reduction in colony-forming units in 87% of the BID group and in 80% of the QID group.

CONCLUSION

The treatment of external ocular disease with 0.3% ofloxacin eyedrops was equally effective when given BID or QID.