Antibiotics after intravitreal injection may not affect endophthalmitis rate

Retina. 2011;31(10):2032-2036.

A study designed to determine the effect of prophylactic antibiotic use immediately following intravitreal injection found no decrease in the rate of endophthalmitis.

The retrospective chart review examined records of intravitreal injections performed at the Eye Institute at the Medical College of Wisconsin between February 2008 to January 2009, during which topical antibiotics were routinely administered, and of February 2009 to January 2010, during which topical antibiotics were not used. Suspected cases of endophthalmitis were identified and reviewed.

The rate of suspected endophthalmitis cases during the selected time periods was 0.22% in patients who received topical antibiotics and 0.20% in patients who did not; the difference was not statistically significant.

"The rate of endophthalmitis after intravitreal injections administered in a clinical practice setting is not affected by the use of post-injection antibiotics," the study authors said. "Our data help further support the safe elimination of routine post-injection antibiotic use after routine intravitreal injection therapy. To patients and physicians, this means reducing costs, alleviating patient burden and increasing practice efficiency."