Purpose: To investigate the change in nationwide incidence of endophthalmitis following cataract surgery in Korea from 2002 to 2013. Methods: From a national sample cohort (n = 1 025 340), cases of postoperative endophthalmitis between 2002 and 2013 were identified. Results: From 70,719 cases of cataract surgery, 49 incidents of endophthalmitis were reported, yielding an incidence of 0.069% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.051-0.092%). Overall, the endophthalmitis incidence decreased from 0.103% in 2002-2005 to 0.045% in 2010-2013, corresponding to an annually decreasing time-trend (0.902, 95% CI, 0.827-0.984). In diabetic patients, however, the incidence was 0.128% and did not change (time trend, 1.015; 95% CI, 0.828-1.245). Conclusions: This study revealed the incidence of endophthalmitis decreased during a 12-year period, but remained constant in diabetic patients.
Keywords: Cataract surgery; diabetes mellitus; endophthalmitis; national health insurance service; trend analysis.