DOES CONJUNCTIVAL CULTURE BEFORE ROUTINE CATARACT SURGERY PREVENT ENDOPHTHALMITIS IN PREDISPOSED HIGH RISK PATIENTS?

To report usefulness of conjunctival culture for bacterial culture/sensitivity to prevent post cataract endophthalmitis in high risk patient.

Tertiary care eye centre  in western India

A 53 years gentleman with previous history of post cataract endophthalmitis was posted for other eye cataract surgery. He had a history of post cataract endophthalmitis in the other eye that required core vitrectomy. He gave a history of systemic infections after prior abdominal and perineal surgeries. He did not have diabetes or other systemic immunocompromised states". In view of endophthalmitis in the other eye, conjunctival swab for bacterial culture and sensitivity was taken and based on the report, appropriate topical and systemic antibiotics were started prior to the elective cataract surgery.

In predisposed patients viz. those with endophthalmitis or systemic infections, conjunctival swab with bacterial culture may be an important step in preventing endophthalmitis in subsequent Surgical procedures in the same or fellow eye. Conjunctival swab may be considered as part of the routine preoperative work up in such individuals at risk