Prophylaxis of Postoperative Endophthalmitis Following Cataract Surgery

Over 30 million cataract surgeries are performed worldwide, with an infection rate of approximately 1:1000 when no infection prophylaxis is used. The past two decades have seen tremendous interest and progress in this area, resulting in reduced infection rates below 1:5000 when modern prophylaxis is used in surgery. This chapter presents a discussion of povidone iodine, pre- and post-operative topical antibiotics, and the three intracameral antibiotics—vancomycin, cefuroxime, and moxifloxacin—that have been used most frequently along with their issues and potential complications.