Endophthalmitis- treating in the best possible way
Endophthalmitis- major causes
Endophthalmitis is a serious, vision-threatening infection of the inner structures of the eye, most commonly occurring after eye surgery, trauma, or an intraocular injection. Because the infection is located inside the eye, it cannot be treated effectively with eye drops or oral medications alone. This is why injections are directly applied inside the eye.
Possible treatments
Intravitreal injections deliver antibiotics (and sometimes antifungal drugs) straight into the vitreous cavity, where the infection is actively present. This method allows a very high concentration of medication to reach the bacteria or fungi quickly, helping to control the infection before it causes irreversible damage to the retina and other delicate ocular tissues. In severe cases, steroids may also be added to reduce inflammation and limit tissue destruction, once appropriate antimicrobial coverage is ensured.
Addressing safety concerns
Many patients worry about the safety of injecting medicine into the eye. When performed by a trained ophthalmologist under strict sterile conditions, intravitreal injections are considered safe and are the standard of care for endophthalmitis. The procedure is done under local anesthesia, is usually quick, and causes minimal discomfort. The risk of complications exists, but it is far lower than the risk of permanent vision loss if the infection is left untreated.
Founder of EyesMatterMost- an optometry student who loves talking about eyes. I tend to cover topics related to optometry, ophthalmology, eye health, eyecare, eye cosmetics and everything in between. This website is a medium to educate my readers everything related to eyes.