The treatment of many ocular disorders is hampered because of poor penetration of systemically administered drugs into the eye. The tight junctional complexes (zonulae occludens) of the 
retinal pigment epithelium and 
retinal capillaries are the site of the blood-ocular barrier. This barrier inhibits penetration of substances, including 
antibiotics, into the vitreous. Over the last 18 years we have evaluated the nontoxic doses of various drugs. These include 
antibiotics and antifungals for treatment of bacterial and fungal endophthalmitis, antivirals for treatment of viral 
retinitis (specifically, when medication with these drugs poses the 
threat of 
toxicity to other organs). Intravitreal 
antineoplastic drugs have been studied to prevent 
cell proliferation in the 
vitreous cavity after 
retinal attachment 
surgery, which can lead to 
proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Furthermore, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory action of 
dexamethasone and cyclosporine A to reduce intraocular 
inflammation after 
intraocular surgery or in 
uveitis. Because these studies had been performed in the presence of the vitreous, which can slow down the 
diffusion of the drugs toward the 
retina, it was necessary to reevaluate the concentration of drugs which could be administered intravitreally in the vitrectomized eye. The nontoxic 
dose of numerous drugs when added to 
vitrectomy infusion fluid has also been evaluated. Furthermore, the role of 
vitrectomy in the treatment of bacterial fungal endophthalmitis has been studied and the role of 
vitrectomy in this ocular disorder is defined.