Intraocular Infections

What are Intraocular Infections (Endophthalmitis)?

The outside of the eye is usually the most commonly infected area and can result in varying degrees of conjunctivitis or corneal ulcers. However, infections can also affect the inside of the eye. These intraocular (inside the eye) infections are generally more severe and sight-threatening. Of these, endophthalmitis is perhaps the most devastating.

Causes and Symptoms of Endophthalmitis

Endophthalmitis means the entire eye, from the outside to the inside, is infected. This can result from penetrating trauma to the eye, an infection in the body that travels to the eye, or after intraocular injections (injection of medicine inside the eye) or intraocular surgery (surgery inside the eye)[1] (Medina et al. 2016). Endophthalmitis is an ocular emergency.

Symptoms of an intraocular infection can include:

Diagnosis and Treatment

After a sample of the eye fluid is taken for culture (to find out what organism caused the infection), endophthalmitis is generally treated by injecting powerful antibiotics into the eye or in severe cases, with surgery. The sooner the endophthalmitis is treated, the better the outcome.

Retina Consultants of Texas is specialized in handling the vitreoretinal complications that can result from intraocular infections.