BackgroundPostoperative Endophthalmitis is a rare but potentially sight threatening complication of cataract surgery. Due to its grave outcomes, ophthalmologists adopt various preventive measures to minimize the occurrence of this complication.
AimsTo report the incidence of acute onset endophthalmitis after cataract surgery at a secondary level hospital.
MethodsWe reviewed medical records of patients who underwent cataract surgery from March 2003 to November 2019 at a secondary hospital. Patient’s age, sex, type of cataract surgery performed, type of intraocular lens implanted were noted. Location of incision for patients undergoing phacoemulsification was specified. Post-operative course of patients up to six weeks after surgery was has been tracked to find patients presenting with clinical features of acute endophthalmitis
Results5365 patients were operated for cataract from March 2003 to November 2019. Out of them 45.5 per cent patients were males and 54.5 per cent were females. Majority of patients were above 61 years of age. One third of patients underwent extracapsular cataract extraction while two third patients were operated by phacoemulsification. The location of incision for majority of patients operated by phacoemulsification was temporal. Three senior ophthalmologists performed these surgeries. Two patients developed acute post-operative endophthalmitis (0.04 per cent).
ConclusionThe low rate of endophthalmitis in our study might be due to strict antiseptic pre-operative measures that is ascertain and done by the surgeon himself and this needs further clinical studies to explore. Our study proves that aseptic surgeries can be performed at secondary level general hospital.