[Endophthalmitis]

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Endophthalmitis is a severe intraocular infection with significant risks, including blindness or eyeball loss.
• It can arise exogenously (postoperative, posttraumatic) or endogenously, with cataract surgery and intravitreal injections being common causes of postoperative cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, and treatment strategies for endophthalmitis.
• To highlight the impact of causative pathogens on patient prognosis.

Main Methods:

• Clinical diagnosis based on symptoms (pain, vision loss) and signs (hypopyon, vitreous infiltration, absent red reflex).
• Diagnostic support through microbiological cultures and PCR from ocular samples.
• Treatment involves a multimodal approach: intravitreal, systemic, and topical antibiotics, anterior chamber lavage, and vitrectomy.

Main Results:

• Causative pathogens significantly influence the prognosis of endophthalmitis.
• Infections by coagulase-negative staphylococci and Candida spp. generally have a favorable outcome.
• Infections by Streptococcus spp., Bacillus spp., and Aspergillus spp. are associated with an unfavorable prognosis.

Conclusions:

• Early clinical recognition and microbiological confirmation are key for effective endophthalmitis management.
• A combination of medical and surgical interventions is necessary for treating this severe intraocular infection.
• Understanding the specific pathogen is critical for predicting and managing patient outcomes.