Vision loss after anti-VEGF likely to be endophthalmitis

A review of the published case series of endophthalmitis following intravitreal injection indicates that those presenting with visual acuity 20/200 or less more than 24 hours after the injection were very likely to have endophthalmitis, while those presenting with a similar loss of vision during the first 24 hours were more likely to be due to different causes. The study's investigators used a Pubmed search of the literature and retrieved 12 case series, which together with their own case series included a total of 133 patients. The researchers found that the records showed that among those cases where antibiotics were deemed unnecessary the mean time to presentation was one day, but in those who received antibiotics the mean time to presentation was three days, whether or not their biopsy was positive for bacterial pathogens.
• (Hoevenaars et al, Ophthalmologica 2012, DOI: 10.1159/000339584.)