Bleb infections: clinically different courses of "blebitis" and endophthalmitis.

1. Researchers have recently introduced the term "blebitis" to describe a limited form of bleb-related infection (with infection and inflammation limited to the bleb and the peri-bleb area, with or without anterior chamber involvement) in contrast to the more classic form of endophthalmitis. 2. Bleb-related endophthalmitis is the virulent form of bleb-related infection in which patients present with rapidly worsening visual acuity, redness, and pain with diffuse conjunctival congestion, opalescent blebs (with or without epithelial defects) with intense fibrin and/or hypopyon in the anterior chamber, and florid vitritis. 3. Blebitis and bleb-related endophthalmitis are two distinct bleb-related infections, each with different presentations, prognoses, and outcomes. It is important that clinicians recognize this and treat patients accordingly.