Topical Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Eyelids

The Role of Topical Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Eyelid Surgery

The investigators propose a prospective randomized control trial testing the hypothesis that routine topical antibiotic prophylaxis does not significantly reduce the rate of infection after eyelid surgery.

The use of prophylactic topical antibiotic therapy after eyelid surgery is widespread. Due to increasing antibiotic resistance, antibiotic-related complications, and healthcare costs, the investigators wish to determine whether prophylactic post-operative antibiotic ointment is truly necessary. After all, existing dermatology literature currently recommends against the routine use of antibiotic ointment after various surgical procedures (e.g. Mohs surgery). The investigators aim to perform a prospective randomized control trial at the University of California, San Francisco. The investigators aim to recruit a total of 400 oculoplastics patients undergoing eyelid surgery or surgery involving peri-orbital incisions from 2017 through 2019.

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients aged 18 and older who are undergoing various eyelid procedures in an office, ambulatory care center, or operating room including but not limited to:

• blepharoplasty (upper and lower lids);
• ectropion repair;
• entropion repair;
• external dacryocystorhinostomy;
• external levator resection;
• eyelid lesion removal and/or biopsy;
• eyelid reconstruction and defect repair including after Mohs surgery;
• fat pad excision (upper and lower lids);
• gold or platinum weight implantation;
• internal levator resection;
• lateral tarsal strip;
• orbital fracture repair requiring periorbital incisions;
• orbitotomy requiring periorbital incisions;
• tarsorrhaphy;
• wedge excision.
• Patients undergoing repeat procedures will also be included.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients aged younger than 18 years old who are undergoing the above eyelid procedures in an office, ambulatory care centers, operating rooms;
• patients undergoing chalazion removal;
• patients who have had previous wound infections at the site of the procedure;
• patients with oral or IV antibiotic use within 10 days prior to procedure;
• patients requiring IV antibiotics during the procedure;
• patients with grossly contaminated or inflamed wounds;
• patients with human or animal bites, patients with wounds resulting from trauma
• patients allergic to all study drug options.