ABSTRACT
Endophthalmitis is any severe intraocular inflammation. Once the sclera gets involved in the infection, it is called panophthalmitis.
ETIOLOGY
Endophthalmitis1-6 could occur due to an operation, trauma, through a filtering bleb or as a metastatic infection. The etiologic agent could be a normal conjunctival commensal organism. The most common pathogens in acute endophthalmitis are Staphylococcus epidermidis and other coagulasenegative staphylococci. Other pathogens which can cause endophthalmitis are: Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas, gram-negative microorganisms, fungus, etc. If there is a filtering bleb and endophthalmitis occurs, it could most likely be due to Streptococcus. Bacillus species are commonly found in patients having endophthalmitis due to trauma. Late postoperative endophthalmitis could be due to Propionibacterium acnes (Table 52.1).
