Entry of antibiotic ointment into the anterior chamber after uneventful phacoemulsification

A 77-year-old woman had uneventful phacoemulsification. Postoperative examination revealed that chloramphenicol ointment instilled in the conjunctival fornix had entered the anterior chamber and smeared the intraocular lens (IOL). Immediate surgical removal of the ointment with IOL exchange was performed. The eye settled in 6 weeks with a best corrected visual acuity of 6/9. This case raises concerns about the integrity of clear corneal incisions and the need for postoperative review of uneventful phacoemulsification surgery.