In a retrospective study of 82 cases of endophthalmitis treated between 1976 and 1982 at Barnes Hospital-Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, 51 (62%) cases were culture-proven. Forty-nine (60%) were associated with cataract extraction, 16 cases (20%) were associated with trauma, and 17 cases (20%) were associated with other events. Sixty-four patients (78%) had undergone neither anterior chamber nor vitreous paracentesis before referral. Seventeen of the 51 culture-proven cases were initially thought to be sterile inflammatory responses and not infectious by the referring ophthalmologist.

A poor visual result (visual acuity of less than 20/400) was associated with positive cultures, accidental trauma, virulent organisms, poor initial visual acuity, or a combination of these.