Background and objective: This study aimed to investigate clinical characteristics associated with return to pre-endophthalmitis visual acuity (VA) following treatment for presumed infectious endophthalmitis.
Patients and methods: This was a retrospective study of 74 eyes with endophthalmitis and VA recorded ≤ 12 weeks before presentation and 6 months after presentation between 2009 and 2018.
Results: Thirty-six of 74 eyes (49%) returned to preendophthalmitis VA. Eyes with a positive intraocular fluid culture had 71.5% lower odds of returning to pre-endophthalmitis VA. Nine of 10 eyes (90%) treated with initial pars plana vitrectomy failed to return to pre-endophthalmitis VA. Endophthalmitis following cataract surgery was a characteristic of eyes that returned to pre-endophthalmitis VA. Symptom duration, time to presentation, and treatment with systemic corticosteroids were not significant predictors of visual recovery.
Conclusion: Just under 50% of eyes with presumed infectious endophthalmitis returned to preendophthalmitis VA. A positive intraocular culture is associated with failure to return to pre-endophthalmitis VA. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2024;55:XX-XX.].