The effect of corticosteroids in the treatment of experimental bacterial endophthalmitis.

We evaluated the effects of the addition of corticosteroids to antibiotic therapy in the treatment of staphylococcal endophthalmitis in rabbits. Twenty-four hours after the induction of infection with Staphylococcus aureus, penicillin G, penicillin G and dexamethasone or prednisolone, or saline was injected retrobulbarly for ten days. Afterward, there was no ophthalmoscopic difference between the penicillin and corticosteroid-treated group and those animals receiving only penicillin G. At day 60, however, the fundus was visible in 64% of eyes treated with penicillin G with corticosteroids in contrast to 39% of those eyes treated only with penicillin G (P less than .025). The results between dexamethasone and prednisolone use were not significant. Retrobulbar corticosteroids in combination with effective antibiotic therapy effectively treated experimental bacterial endophthalmitis.