Post-clear corneal phacoemulsification endophthalmitis: profile and management outcomes at a tertiary eye care center in western India

Infectious endophthalmitis is a serious sight threatening intraocular inflammation that results from exogenous or endogenous spread of organisms into the eye.A retrospective case series to study the profile of endophthalmitis following clear corneal phacoemulsification in western India between years 2008 and 2014 was held in the National Institute of Ophthalmology, Pune, India. Cases of endophthalmitis post-clear corneal phacoemulsification were reviewed pertaining to demography, clinical history, surgeon experience, surgical complications, time of onset following surgery, duration between onset of symptoms and presentation to the center, presenting visual acuity and at follow-ups, slit-lamp examination and ultrasound findings, vitreous tap culture results, treatment, and final functional and anatomical outcomes.

Of 60 cases, 34 were operated in the tertiary center and 26 were referred. The incidence of endophthalmitis post clear corneal phacoemulsification performed at the tertiary center was 0.17%. Mean time delay between onset of symptoms and presentation to the tertiary care center was 2.6 days. Fifty percent cases were culture +ve, of which 80% were Gram +ve and 20% were Gram −ve, no fungal isolates. Coagulase –ve staphylococcus was the most common causative organism; rare isolates included Sphingomonas paucimobilis and Streptococcus mitis. Twenty-six eyes underwent primary vitrectomy. Mean presenting visual acuity was 2.14 ± 0.07 logMAR units which improved to logMAR 0.98 ± 0.12 at final follow-up. Presenting VA was >20/200 in 13.3% and <HM in 60% cases. 66.7% of eyes had visual improvement; 26.7% cases achieved VA 20/40 at final follow-up. Gram +ve and culture –ve cases, better presenting VA, and less time delay between onset and presentation had a favorable visual outcome.

The shift of the clinico-microbiological spectrum of endophthalmitis could be due to change in surgical technique to clear corneal phacoemulsification. Predictors of good visual outcome include good presenting visual acuity, early presentation to the center, culture negativity, and coagulase negative organisms.