Review of Applications of Tetracyclines in Ophthalmology

Tetracyclines are broad spectrum antibiotics which are inexpensive and widely available and have an appropriate safety profile. In addition to antibiotical effects, tetracyclines can inhibit matrix metaloproteinase and collagenase, and subsequently reduce inflammation, angiogenesis, and neovascularization. They have partial neuro-protective, anti-apoptotic and antioxidant properties. Given these properties, tetracyclines are commonly used for the management of some ocular diseases such as pdry eye, blepharitis, meibomian gland dysfunction, rosacea, chemical burn, vesicant injuries, graft rejection reactions, and pterygium. Sub-antibacterial doses (20-100 mg/day) are used for the aforementioned purposes. Recently some studies investigated the neuro-protective, anti-oxidant and anti-apoptotic properties of tetracyclines which can be exploited for some neuroretinal diseases including retinopathies and ischemia-reperfusion injuries. However, more studies are needed for these new applications of tetracyclines.