Late onset of microbial keratitis after laser in situ keratomileusis surgery: case series

Presumed Microbial Keratitis Cases Resulting in Evisceration and Enucleation in Sydney, Australia

PURPOSE

Describe presumed microbial keratitis cases resulting in evisceration/enucleation from 2012 to 2016 in Sydney, Australia.

METHODS

A retrospective case review included 33 patients. Cases were identified from pathology and hospital coding data. Sociodemographic and clinical details were collated.

RESULTS

Mean age was 79 years (range: 38-100 years), and 64% female. There were 30 eviscerations and 3 enucleations, at a median time of 8 days (range: 1-270 days) due to endophthalmitis (n = 15, 45%). Major ocular associated factors included topical corticosteroid use in 12 patients (36%), exposure keratopathy in 4 (12%), ectropion in 3 (9%), degenerative corneal disease in 3 (9%), and corneal graft in 2 (6%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common isolate with no reports of antimicrobial resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

Educating elderly patients with a history of topical corticosteroid use, corneal or ocular surface disease about prompt hospital presentation and treatment of microbial keratitis may decrease the probability of losing the eye.