The Effect of Topical Antibiotic or Antibiotic-Corticosteroid Treatment on the Ocular Surface Microbiota of Healthy Horses

This study aimed to describe the bacterial ocular surface microbiota in healthy horses and evaluate the effect of topical antibiotics or antibiotic-corticosteroid medication on the ocular surface microbiota. This was a prospective, randomized, longitudinal, blinded study in which one eye of 12 horses was treated 3 times daily for 7 days with neomycin, polymyxin B and bacitracin ophthalmic ointment (n = 6) or neomycin, polymyxin B and dexamethasone (n = 6). The contralateral eyes operated as untreated controls.