eye disorders
Endophthalmitis
Introduction
Endophthalmitis is infection inside the eye. It is a medical emergency. Eye surgery, eye injury, or infection in the bloodstream can cause the infection. Severe eye pain, eye redness, and loss of vision may occur. Cultures are taken of eye fluids, and antibiotics are given as soon as possible. Endophthalmitis is uncommon. It is caused by organisms that have entered the eye through a surgical incision or an injury to the eyeball or, less often, have traveled through the bloodstream into the eye. Infection in the bloodstream has many possible causes, such as dental procedures, intravenous drug abuse, an abscess (a pocket of pus), skin ulcers, infections such as Overview of Pneumonia or Infection that causes endophthalmitis is usually due to bacteria (such asStaphylococcus aureus), but fungi or protozoa may also be responsible. Viruses can also cause extensive eye infections, but these are not usually classified as endophthalmitis. 