Evaluating exaggerated, prolonged, or delayed postoperative intraocular inflammation

Abstract

Purpose: To provide a diagnostic approach for the evaluation of patients with exaggerated, prolonged, or delayed postoperative intraocular inflammation.

Design: Perspective.

Methods: Selected articles on normal and abnormal postoperative intraocular inflammation were reviewed and interpreted in the context of the authors' clinical and research experience.

Results: In addition to infectious endophthalmitis, a number of noninfectious conditions characterized by exaggerated, prolonged, or delayed postoperative inflammation have been described. Heuristically, increased postsurgical inflammation may be categorized by time from surgery to first recognition using the following general guidelines: as immediate and occurring within 2 days after surgery; as early and occurring after 2 days, but within the first 2 weeks, after surgery; and as delayed and occurring more than 2 weeks after surgery.

Conclusions: Although infectious endophthalmitis always must be excluded as a cause of increased postoperative intraocular inflammation, potential noninfectious causes also exist. We review both infectious and noninfectious causes of increased postoperative inflammation and provide a diagnostic framework for evaluating such patients.