Epidemiology and visual outcomes in patients with infectious scleritis.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

PURPOSE: To describe the epidemiology of patients with infectious scleritis and identify factors associated with poor visual prognosis. METHODS: Retrospective review of inciting factors, causative organisms, and visual outcomes of patients with infectious scleritis. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (56 eyes) with confirmed infectious scleritis were included. The median time from inciting event to scleritis symptoms was 1.9 months. Eyes with a history of pterygium surgery had a longer time from surgery to development of scleritis (median 49 months, range 0-183) compared to those with a history of glaucoma, cataract, and retina surgery (median 1.0-1.6 months; P = 0.001). Fungal, nocardial, and mycobacterial infections (median 17-45 days) had a longer interval between symptoms and diagnosis than eyes with non-acid-fast gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria (median 7 days; P = 0.04). Patients were followed for a median of 11.1 months (0.5-47 months). Approximately 50% of eyes lost functional vision (worse than 20/200). Presenting VA of worse than 20/200 and concomitant keratitis or endophthalmitis were associated with poorer VA outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Infectious scleritis can occur days to years after ocular surgery, with infection occurring after a longer interval in eyes with a history of pterygium surgery. Approximately 50% of eyes lost functional VA after infection with poor presenting VA being the strongest predictor for subsequent severe vision loss.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Hodson, KL; Galor, A; Karp, CL; Davis, JL; Albini, TA; Perez, VL; Miller, D; Forster, RK

Published Date

  • April 2013

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 32 / 4

Start / End Page

  • 466 - 472

PubMed ID

  • 22902495

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1536-4798

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1097/ICO.0b013e318259c952

Language

  • eng

Conference Location

  • United States