Endophthalmitis After Clear Corneal Cataract Surgery: Outcomes Over Two Decades

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Infectious Diseases
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Clear corneal cataract surgery is a common procedure.
• Endophthalmitis is a serious intraocular infection that can occur post-surgery.
• Understanding causative organisms and treatment outcomes is crucial for managing post-cataract surgery endophthalmitis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze clinical features of acute endophthalmitis following clear corneal cataract surgery.
• To identify causative organisms and their antibiotic sensitivities.
• To evaluate visual acuity (VA) outcomes in patients with post-cataract surgery endophthalmitis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series of 63 patients with culture-positive endophthalmitis.
• Data collected from a tertiary referral center between 2006 and 2015.
• Review of clinical and microbiology records, including initial treatments and causative pathogens.

Main Results:

• The mean time to diagnosis was 8 days post-surgery.
• Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (62%) was the most common pathogen, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (11%) and Streptococcus species (11%).
• Visual acuity of ≥20/40 was achieved in 38% of eyes; some isolates showed resistance to cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones.

Conclusions:

• Causative organisms and visual outcomes are comparable to the prior decade.
• Emerging resistance to cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones among causative bacteria is noted.
• Continued surveillance of microbial resistance patterns is essential for effective treatment strategies.