ABSTRACT
Standard guidelines and preferred practice patterns have been developed to reduce the incidence of postoperative infections. Postsurgical infections are caused by organisms entering the eye during the surgical procedure or during the postoperative period. Infections depend on a multitude of factors including the technique and duration of surgery, inoculum load, host factors including systemic status and immune response of the body, postoperative therapy and hygiene, as well as the presence of any external risk factors like ocular trauma or contamination. Infective keratitis and postoperative anterior segment inflammation can occur after cataract surgery, refractive surgery, pterygium excision and even trabeculectomy and vitreoretinal surgery. Elderly patients undergoing cataract surgery with a previous history of refractive surgery in adulthood are more prone to develop secondary infection at keratotomy sites due to compromised corneal morphology and function.
