Recurrent corneal erosions related to an ocular injury 15 years before presentation.

Purpose: To report the case of a patient who presented with recurrent corneal erosions caused by an undetected plastic foreign body in the upper eyelid, which had remained asymptomatic for nearly 15 years following an ocular injury. Observations: A 39-year-old patient presented with recurrent corneal erosions and frontal headaches of unknown aetiology over the preceding eight months. The patient had previously been seen by twelve different ophthalmologists and had been treated over a 6-month period with a bandage contact lens, and therapeutic corneal scraping had been performed twice. However, the corneal erosion had repeatedly reappeared after removal of the bandage contact lens. On clinical examination prior to a planned phototherapeutic keratectomy, we extracted a 1.5 cm plastic foreign body, localised in the subtarsal area of the upper conjunctival fornix. Upon specific questioning, the patient denied any recent trauma, but reported a work-related accident with an accompanying eye injury 15 years before presentation. Conclusions and importance: Posttraumatic foreign bodies in the eye may remain asymptomatic for prolonged periods before giving rise to clinical signs such as recurrent corneal erosions. Hence, a thorough clinical examination with meticulous eyelid eversion should always be performed in such patients.

Effectiveness of immediate vitrectomy and intravitreal antibiotics for post-injection endophthalmitis.

PURPOSE: To show that an immediate vitrectomy with an intravitreal injection of antibiotics can be an effective approach for the treatment of acute endophthalmitis following intravitreal injections. METHODS: We reviewed all cases of clinical endophthalmitis caused by an intravitreal injection that were treated in our department between March 2012 and November 2019. Only patients that underwent a vitrectomy within 6 h after presentation to the clinic and with a documented visual acuity shortly before the causative event were included. Baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before the causative event was compared to BCVA measured within a follow-up period of 8 months (up to 14 months). RESULTS: In total, 30 eyes of 30 patients were included. The BCVA before the intraocular infection was a mean value of 0.55 logMAR, and the BCVA on the day of the endophthalmitis decreased significantly to 1.66 logMAR. Within 2 months following the pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), the mean BCVA improved to 0.83 logMAR. Eight months following PPV (mean value, 8.20 months; SD, 3.59 months), the mean BCVA was 0.63 logMAR. In the last follow-up interval most of the eyes recovered, and the BCVA did not differ significantly from baseline. Two eyes underwent further pars plana surgery during the follow-up period. No enucleation was required. CONCLUSION: In this study, we have shown that an immediate vitrectomy with subsequent intravitreal injection of antibiotics is an effective option for treating post-injection endophthalmitis and frequently results in recovery of vision; thus, it should be performed as early as possible, where available.

[Microbiological and infectious disease aspects of postoperative endophthalmitis]. / Mikrobiologische und infektiologische Aspekte der postoperativen Endophthalmitis.

Infectious postoperative or postinjection endophthalmitis is a medical emergency. Gram-positive bacteria, such as staphylococci, streptococci and enterococci are the predominant causative agents, whereas Gram-negative pathogens (e.g. Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and fungi account for a minority of cases. Using modern diagnostic tools, which include polymerase chain reaction-based assays in addition to Gram staining and agar culturing, a causal agent can be detected in the majority of cases, which enables a targeted treatment and estimation of the prognosis. Endophthalmitis is treated with intravitreal and often also intravenous administration of antibiotics, with the combination of vancomycin and ceftazidime being most commonly used. This article presents and summarizes recent developments in the microbiological etiology and diagnostics of endophthalmitis as well as treatment options and perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in the light of emerging resistance patterns.