Intraocular gentamicin as intraoperative prophylaxis in South India eye camps

The incidence of bacterial endophthalmitis has been 3-6% after cataract extraction in the eye camps of South India from 1961-75. During this time 50 791 cases were operated using systemic and topical chloramphenicol prophylaxis. This study evaluated the prophylactic intracameral injection of 50 microng of gentamicin in eye camp cataract extractions. Only 6 of 1626 patients treated with intracameral gentamicin at operation developed bacterial endophthalmitis, an incidence of 0-37%.