Infectious and Noninfectious Endophthalmitis After Intravitreal Bevacizumab

Abstract

AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of infectious and noninfectious endophthalmitis after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. METHODS: This clinical interventional case-series study included 1218 intravitreal injections of 1.5 mg of bevacizumab consecutively performed for 684 eyes with exudative age-related macular degeneration. Among the injections were 534 reinjections. Follow-up after each injection was at least 4 weeks. RESULTS: One (1) eye developed an infectious endophthalmitis 3 days after a second injection. In none of the other eyes, were signs of an infectious or noninfectious endophthalmitis observed with the cellular infiltration or amorphous opacification of the vitreous as marked by the Tyndall phenomenon in the anterior chamber, retinal infiltration, or pain. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of infectious endophthalmitis after an intravitreal injection of 1.5 mg bevacizumab may be approximately 1:1000, similar to injections of other drugs available thus far.