By
Jonathan Yoken, MD
ENDOPHTHALMITIS
Endophthalmitis
is an often serious bacterial infection within the interior of
the eye.
It may occur
following procedures that require entry into the eye, such as
cataract or certain glaucoma surgery. Postoperative Endophthalmitis
is an uncommon disorder, affecting less than 1 in1000 surgeries.
Injuries that cause a laceration of the eye carry a somewhat higher
risk of Endophthalmitis, effecting about 1 of 20 patients. The
least common cause of Endophthalmitis occurs when bacteria are
carried into the eye via the bloodstream. This typically only
occurs when a patient is seriously ill with bacterial sepsis ("blood
poisoning") or if a defective heart valve is present.
Symptoms may include pain, loss of vision, swelling or redness
of the eye and discharge following surgery, but some cases may
be asymptomatic.
The treatment of this condition involves culturing a sample of
the fluid from within the eye to determine the type of bacteria
involved, combined with injecting antibiotics into the infected
eye. Depending on the circumstances, oral antibiotics may also
be utilized. Cases of severe infection may require surgery to
help clear the bacteria and inflammation from the eye.
Bacterial
infections can cause serious damage to the delicate tissues within
the eye, especially the retina. This can result in loss of vision
which may be permanent. Naturally, the visual outcome depends
on the severity of the infection, which can vary widely. In some
case, however, vision can be restored, although this can take
weeks to months to occur.
