PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Aldrin Khan
AU  - Narciss Okhravi
AU  - Susan Lightman
TI  - The eye in systemic sepsis
AID  - 10.7861/clinmedicine.2-5-444
DP  - 2002 Sep 01
TA  - Clinical Medicine
PG  - 444--448
VI  - 2
IP  - 5
4099  - http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/2/5/444.short
4100  - http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/2/5/444.full
SO  - Clin Med2002 Sep 01; 2
AB  - Metastatic or endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) is a serious consequence of systemic sepsis. It is defined as intraocular infection resulting from haematogenous spread of organisms in which the initial focus of infection is at a site distal to the eye. A red/sore eye in a patient with a known septic focus needs urgent attention as EE can be a major cause of visual loss. Early diagnosis and treatment are associated with better visual outcome. This article focuses on the two main causes of EE, namely bacterial and fungal infections, and also briefly mentions dissemination of cytomegalovirus to the eye in immunocompromised patients. Although conscious patients may notice an ocular problem, unconscious or very sick patients may not; vigilance by medical staff in looking for early signs of this is extremely important.