Endophthalmitis
Endophthalmitis involves swelling (inflammation) within the eyeball. It is a serious condition.
The white portion of the eye (sclera) can appear red when the vessels on the surface become enlarged. This may result from mechanical irritation, environmental irritants (such as extremely dry air, excess sun exposure), allergic reactions, infection, and other medical conditions. A bright red, uniformly dense bloody area on the sclera results from a small amount of bleeding (hemorrhage) into the conjunctiva. It is a fairly common occurrence and is usually caused by straining or coughing. It generally clears up on its own after a few days.
Causes
Endophthalmitis is caused by infection with bacteria or a fungus. It very often occurs as a rare complication of cataract or other eye surgery.
Symptoms
The symptoms are:
- Decreased vision
- Pain
- Redness
- Swelling of the eyelids
Call your health care provider right away if you have these symptoms after eye surgery.
References
Cioffi GA, Liebmann JM. Diseases of the visual system. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 395.
de Geus SJR, Hopman J, Brüggemann RJ, Klevering BJ, Crama N. Acute endophthalmitis after cataract surgery: clinical characteristics and the role of intracameral antibiotic prophylaxis. Ophthalmol Retina. 2021;5(6):503-510. PMID: 32956857
Durand ML. Endophthalmitis. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 114.
Rodger DC, Shildkrot YE, Eliott D. Infectious endophthalmitis. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 7.9.
Version Info
Last reviewed on: 9/3/2021
Reviewed by: Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
