Incidence of acute-onset endophthalmitis after separate bilateral cataract surgeries less than 5 days apart

Purpose: To assess the incidence of acute-onset endophthalmitis after separate bilateral cataract surgeries less than 5 days apart (SBCS5). Methods: The medical records of all patients who underwent SBCS5 at a single medical center between October 10, 2012 and July 31, 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The medical records for treatment of 5374 eyes of 2687 patients were examined. The mean interval between the first and second surgeries was 3 days. No case of bilateral simultaneous endophthalmitis was observed. Unilateral endophthalmitis developed in five eyes of five patients. Thus, the incidence of endophthalmitis after SBCS5 was 0.093%. All cases of endophthalmitis occurred in the first operated eye. SBCS5 was 15% less expensive than unilateral cataract surgery. Conclusion: The incidence of endophthalmitis after SBCS5 was acceptably low with topical but not intracamaral antibiotic prophylaxis. SBCS5 was also less expensive than unilateral cataract surgery.