To evaluate factors affecting final visual acuity by analyzing patients referred with infectious endophthalmitis after cataract surgery.

A retrospective investigation of clinical notes of 113 patients referred with endophthalmitis following cataract surgery was conducted from January 2008 to December 2013. To evaluate factors affecting final visual acuity, initial visual acuity, onset of endophthalmitis after the cataract surgery, types of treatment, presence of hypopyon and culture results were investigated.

Of the 113 patients, visual acuities at presentation were hand motions or less in 75 patients (66.3%) and final visual acuities after treatments were 0.5 or better in 73 patients (64.6%). Cases with initial visual acuity of hand motions or better achieved favorable outcomes whereas cases with gram-negative infection or endophthalmitis occurring within 2 days postoperatively showed poor prognosis. Statistically, vitrectomy versus intraocular antibiotic injection as primary means of treatment showed no differences in final visual acuity in patients with initial visual acuity of hand motion or better.

Visual acuities at presentation, type of cultured organism and onset of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery are significantly related to visual prognosis. Advantages of initial vitrectomy versus intraocular antibiotic injections were unclear and further investigations are necessary to clarify these issues.