Endophthalmitis

A serious eye infection, endophthalmitis can develop suddenly or, in some cases gradually, after an eye surgery, eye injury or bacterial infection in another part of your body. If your immune system is weak, you are more likely to get this eye infection. If your eye became infected from a surgery, you usually experience symptoms within six weeks of the operation. Some people get infected from an injury, especially if contaminated soil came in contact with their eye during the injury.

This infection attacks the retina, a light-sensitive layer of tissue located at the back of your eye. The retina provides the sharp, central vision you need to drive, read, and perform other important activities. Though rare, endophthalmitis causes blindness and sometimes even the loss of an eye if left untreated.

What are the Symptoms?

People with endophthalmitis may experience one or more of the following:

• Inflammation in the white of the eye
• White or yellow discharge on or inside the eyelid
• A cloudy, whitish cornea
• Swelling, eye pain, and redness
• Reduced vision
• Light sensitivity

If you have any of these issues, especially if you recently had surgery, an injury or bacterial infection, see an eye doctor immediately. Fortunately, the caring doctors at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, part of the University of Miami Health System, promptly diagnose and treat this condition. Their goal is to preserve and protect your precious vision.

Tests

Eye Examination – The key to identifying this potentially dangerous eye condition is a complete eye exam by a qualified ophthalmologist.

Biopsy – To find out which organism caused your infection, your doctor collects a sample (biopsy) of fluid from your eye. The sample is sent to a lab to identify the organism and begin the appropriate treatment.

Treatments

Vitrectomy – If your infection is sudden and so severe that your vision is very bad, your doctor will recommend an emergency vitrectomy. In this procedure, an eye surgeon removes the infectious debris from inside your eye. The surgeon then injects antibiotic or antifungal medicine inside your eye.

Antibiotic Injections – If your infection was caught early and your vision is not severely affected, your eye doctor can inject antibiotic or antifungal drugs into your eye to treat the condition. You receive the injection at the doctor’s office. In a few patients, antibiotic eye drops work well, but every patient with this infection requires regular follow-up eye exams to protect their vision.