To evaluate the risk factors associated with enucleation or evisceration in endophthalmitis patients.

The medical records of endophthalmitis cases from January 1995 to July 2006 were reviewed retrospectively. The cases were divided into 2 groups, the enucleation/evisceration group (36 eyes of 36 patients) who underwent enucleation or evisceration and the intraocular procedures group (61 eyes of 60 patients) who received intravitreal antibiotics injection and/or vitrectomy. We analyzed these cases with respect to age, sex, initial visual acuity, causes of endophthalmitis, systemic disease, and causative organisms.

Older age (p=0.002), women (17/32, p=0.027), no light perception at presentation (33/37, p<0.001), endophthalmitis associated with corneal ulcer (25/25, p<0.001), and diabetes mellitus (14/20, p=0.001) were significantly associated with enucleation or evisceration.

Older age, poor initial visual acuity, endophthalmitis associated with corneal ulcer, and diabetes mellitus were strongly associated with enucleation or evisceration. If any of these factors are present, more intensive treatments are warranted to prevent loss of the eye.