[Fluoroquinolones in ophthalmology: mechanisms of action and resistance]

Abstract

The arrival of fluoroquinolones in the 1980s aroused enormous enthusiasm in the medical community, justified by the spectrum of antibacterial activity, good tolerance, and wide distribution in tissues, even after oral administration. However, the extensive use of these new antibiotiques finally ended in emerging resistance, which limits the efficiency of all the molecules in the class, including those that have appeared in the last few years. Ocular diseases also benefited from the emergence of fluoroquinolones, notably for topical treatments. It is now mandatory to adapt the prescriptions to the best indications, in order to protect the vast therapeutic potential of these molecules.