Confocal scanning laser microscopy in patients with postoperative endophthalmitis

Purpose To investigate alterations of corneal layers in eyes treated for acute postoperative endophthalmitis. Methods In this retrospective, nonrandomized comparative study, eyes treated with 25 gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for acute post-cataract endophthalmitis (group A) were compared to eyes receiving uneventful cataract surgery (group B) and uneventful 25 gauge PPV for epiretinal membrane (group C). After a minimum follow-up of 8 months from last surgical procedure, laser scanning in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) was performed. Results Twelve eyes for each group were recruited. Comparing study eyes with control eyes of group B and C, no statistical difference was found in corneal epithelial cell density ( p = n.s.), in density of nerve fibers ( p = n.s.), mean grade of nerve reflectivity ( p = n.s.), mean grade of nerve tortuosity ( p = n.s.), mean grade of anterior keratocyte activation ( p = n.s.), and corneal endothelium cell density ( p = n.s.), whereas a statistically higher mean grade of posterior keratocyte activation was found in group A ( p