| Endophthalmitis | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| ICD-10 | H44.0-H44.1 |
| ICD-9 | 360.0-360.1 |
| DiseasesDB | 30828 |
| MedlinePlus | 001626 |
| eMedicine | emerg/880 oph/393 oph/394 oph/706 |
| MeSH | D009877 |
Endophthalmitis is an inflammation of the internal coats of the eye. It is a dreaded complication of all intraocular surgeries, particularly cataract surgery, with possible loss of vision and the eye itself. Infectious etiology is the most common and various bacteria and fungi have been isolated as the cause of the endophthalmitis. Other causes include penetrating trauma and retained intraocular foreign bodies.
Contents |
In cases of endophthalmitis, one usually finds a history of recent intraocular surgery or penetrating ocular trauma. In some cases of metastatic endophthalmitis--particularly in immunocompromised patients or those with diabetes--the spread of infection may have been hematogenous (via the blood-stream).
Endophthalmitis is usually accompanied by severe pain, loss of vision, and redness of the conjunctiva and the underlying episclera. Also present are signs of inflammation of the various coats of the eye. Hypopyon can be present in endophthalmitis and should be looked for on examination by a slit lamp.
An eye exam may indicated in severe forms of candidiasis. 1-3% of cases of candidal blood infections include endophthalmitis.
The patient needs urgent examination by an expert ophthalmologist and/or vitreo-retina specialist who will usually decide for urgent intervention to provide intravitreal injection of potent antibiotics and also prepare for an urgent pars plana vitrectomy as needed. Enucleation may be required to remove a blind and painful eye.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||