Ocular Chloramphenicol and Aplastic Anemia

To the Editor: Since the report of possibly the fourth major adverse hemopoietic event associated with topical ocular chloramphenicol,* there have been six additional possible cases reported to the National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects (Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland). Some of these cases were reported to the Registry because the physician only recently remembered that his or her patient with aplastic anemia had been exposed four to six months previously to topical ocular chloramphenicol. Although it is not possible to establish a definite cause- and-elfect relation between topical ocular chloramphenicol and bone-marrow failure, topical ocular chloramphenicol is easily.