ENDOPHTHALMITIS CAUSED BY STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS

The medical records of 27 patients (27 eyes) with culture-positive Sta phylococcus aureus endophthalmitis, diagnosed between December 1984 an d February 1992, were reviewed. In 20 of the 27 eyes, endophthalmitis occurred within seven days of ocular surgery. All tested isolates were sensitive to vancomycin, gentamicin, and ceftazidime. In 13 eyes trea ted by initial vitrectomy and intraocular antibiotic injection, ten ey es achieved 20/400 or better visual acuity, compared to seven of 14 ey es in the initial vitreous tap and intraocular antibiotic injection gr oup. For the eight eyes treated initially with intraocular corticoster oids, seven eyes achieved 20/400 or better visual acuity, compared to ten of 19 eyes in the group receiving no initial intraocular corticost eroids (P = .190). The use of vitrectomy and intraocular corticosteroi ds with intraocular antibiotics was associated with the best visual ou tcomes in this group of eyes with endophthalmitis caused by S. aureus.