Chronic post-operative iris prosthesis endophthalmitis in a patient with traumatic aniridia: a case report

Background Post-operative endophthalmitis is a serious complication of intraocular surgery which may present acutely or chronically. Chronic post-operative endophthalmitis is characterized by decreased visual acuity, mild pain, and low-grade uveitis several weeks or months after intraocular surgery which may be responsive to corticosteroids, but recur upon tapering. Low virulence organisms such as Propionibacterium acnes are the most common culprit organisms, and treatment most often consists of both intravitreal antibiotic injections and surgery. Aniridia is a condition defined by total or partial loss of the iris and leads to decreased visual quality marked by glare and photophobia. Treatment of complex or severe cases of traumatic aniridia in which surgical repair is difficult may consist of implantation of iris prostheses, devices designed to reduce symptoms of aniridia. Though chronic, post-operative endophthalmitis has been associated with most intraocular surgeries including intraocular lens implantation after cataract removal, it has never been described in a patient with an iris prosthesis.