Effect of intravitreal dexamethasone on ocular histopathology in a rabbit model of endophthalmitis

The histologic and clinical effect of intravitreal dexamethasone was studied in a rabbit model of experimentally induced gentamicin sensitive Staphylococcal epidermidis endophthalmitis. The study compared four treatment groups: vitrectomy alone (group I), vitrectomy plus intravitreal gentamicin (group II), vitrectomy plus intravitreal gentamicin and dexamethasone (group III), and intravitreal gentamicin and dexamethasone without vitrectomy (group IV). All eyes treated with dexamethasone, with or without vitrectomy, exhibited less clinical and histologic manifestations of inflammation. This study suggests that suppression of inflammation through the use of intravitreal dexamethasone leads to preservation of ocular architecture with potentially improved retinal function and visual benefit.