Endophthalmitis after cataract surgery in China, 1995-2009

A systematic search of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database for articles on endophthalmitis after cataract surgery between 1995 and 2009 identified 57 articles that included 403 eyes. The incidence of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery was 0.06% (140/233,115). Treatments included intraocular antibiotic injection in 54.1% of eyes and immediate vitrectomy in 40.2%. Of 356 intraocular samples, 214 (60.1%) were culture positive; 187 (87.3%) bacterial and 27 (12.7%) fungal. The presenting visual acuity was <5/200 in 195 (75.3%) of 259 eyes and the final visual acuity, ≥20/40 in 63 eyes (16.8%). During these 15 years, the use of vitrectomy increased significantly (P<.05). The proportion of eyes with a final visual acuity of ≥20/400 also increased significantly (P<.05) during each 5-year period. Although these represent favorable changes in the treatment and prognosis of endophthalmitis, there are differences between these outcomes and those in developed countries. A more unified therapeutic standard is needed to further improve the prognosis of postoperative endophthalmitis in China.