AIM: To investigate the pathogenic bacteria, drug resistance, therapy and prognosis of infectious endophthalmitis secondary to different ophthalmic surgeries.

METHODS:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 37 patients(37 eyes)with infectious endophthalmitis secondary to different ophthalmic surgeries. All these patients were treated in the Ophthalmology Department of Hebei General Hospital between January 2009 and June 2023. The pathogenic bacteria, drug resistance and therapeutic effects of early intravitreal injection of antibiotics or vitrectomy combined with silicone oil filling were analyzed.

RESULTS:There were 24 eyes following cataract phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens implantation, 4 eyes following vitrectomy, 2 eyes following combination surgery for glaucoma and cataract, 2 eyes following anti-glaucoma surgery, 2 eyes following corneal transplantation, 2 eyes following anterior chamber puncture, and 1 eye following intravitreal injection among the 37 eyes with infectious endophthalmitis. Totally 37 samples of intraocular fluid were submitted for bacterial and fungal culture, and 20 strains of pathogenic bacteria were identified, including 17 Gram-positive bacteria, 2 Gram-negative bacteria, 1 fusarium, and 12 cases were staphylococcus epidermidis. According to the final therapy, 7 eyes only treated by intravitreal injection, 11 eyes treated by intravitreal injection and vitrectomy, and 19 eyes only treated by vitrectomy. At the last follow-up, the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)was ≤0.05 in 15 eyes, 0.06-0.3 in 15 eyes, and 0.4-1.0 in 7 eyes. Compared to before treatment(no light perception - hand movement in 31 eyes, counting fingers -0.05 in 3 eyes, 0.06-0.3 in 3 eyes), the difference was statistically significant(P<0.001).

CONCLUSION: For infectious endophthalmitis patients with relatively mild ocular manifestation and good initial visual acuity, intravitreal injection of antibiotics remains an economically viable and effective therapy option. Early vitrectomy may effectively prevent the progression of infectious endophthalmitis, reduce the number of surgeries, and significantly improve the vision outcomes.