Endophthalmitis/Panophthalmitis
 
Description of the Disease and Clinical Picture
Endophthalmitis refers to inflammation of the internal structures of the eye, while panophthalmitis is the inflammation of the internal structures of the eye along with inflammation of the external structures, i.e., the orbital tissues. The inflammatory process can be either sterile or infectious. Infectious agents can induce endophthalmitis/panophthalmitis by spreading hematogenously (when the eye is not the primary organ of infection and is just one of many affected structures, such as in FIP or blastomycosis) or exogenously (most often through penetrating injuries, as a result of ulcer perforation, or as a complication of surgical procedures on the eye). Often, inflammation of individual eye structures (e.g., anterior or posterior uveitis) can spread to all structures of the eye. Clinically, the picture is dominated by the appearance of acute pain, blepharospasm, pronounced episcleral and conjunctival signs, edema and neovascularization of the cornea, hypopyon, hyphema, and periocular swelling. Vision is significantly reduced, or the patient is completely blind.
 
Therapy
To identify the causative agent of the disease, it is necessary to perform a complete blood count, biochemistry, and aspiration of the anterior chamber or vitreous for cytological examination and attempt to isolate the causative agent. Antibiotics can be administered topically, intraocularly, and systemically, along with systemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Enucleation is often necessary.
 
Please contact our specialty veterinary ophthalmology hospital Animal Eye Consultants
of Iowa (animaleyeiowa@gmail.com) in USA or Oculus Veterinary Specialty Hospital
(oculusklinika@gmail.com) in Serbia, Europe to schedule an appointment so your pet
can be seen.