Culture-proven endogenous endophthalmitis: clinical features and visual acuity outcomes.

PURPOSE: To investigate clinical features and visual acuity outcomes associated with endogenous endophthalmitis.

DESIGN: Retrospective, observational case series.

METHODS: Twenty-one eyes of 21 patients treated at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute for culture-proven endogenous endophthalmitis between 1996 and 2002 were reviewed.

RESULTS: Patients were followed a mean of 3 months (range, 1 to 12 months). Fungal isolates occurred in 13 eyes (62%), gram-positive isolates in 7 (33%), and gram-negative isolates in 1 (5%). Twelve patients (57%) were hospitalized at the time of diagnosis and 6 patients (29%) died within 2 months of diagnosis. Initial treatment included tap and injection of intravitreal medication in 10 eyes (48%) and pars plana vitrectomy with injection of intravitreal medication in 11 eyes (52%). Final visual outcomes were obtainable for 18 eyes (two patients died within 10 days of diagnosis, and one patient was lost to follow-up). Eight (44%) of these 18 eyes achieved a visual acuity of 20/400 or better and 10 (56%) of 18 eyes achieved a visual acuity worse than 20/400, including 3 that were either enucleated or eviscerated. Three eyes with Aspergillus endophthalmitis had worse visual outcomes than eyes with either Candida (P =.036) or bacterial endophthalmitis (P =.024).

CONCLUSIONS: Compared with published series of postoperative or post-traumatic endophthalmitis, patients with endogenous endophthalmitis are more likely to have fungal isolates with a predominance of Candida albicans. Endogenous endophthalmitis is generally associated with high mortality and poor visual acuity outcomes, particularly when caused by more virulent species such as Aspergillus.