• glaucoma
• trabeculectomy
• vaccine
• Haemophilus influenzae type b
• Streptococcus pneumoniae
• blebitis
• endophthalmitis

Trabeculectomy is the most common non-laser surgical procedure performed for treatment of all forms of glaucoma. It involves the fashioning of a fistula from the anterior chamber of the eye to the subconjunctival space. This allows for extra drainage of aqueous humour to the subconjunctival space. This produces a localised elevation of the conjunctiva in the area of the trabeculectomy called a “filtering bleb.” Antimetabolites may be used intraoperatively and perioperatively to increase the success of glaucoma filtering surgery by their action on wound healing. 5-Fluorouracil or mitomycin C is administered to the scleral flap during the procedure. Postoperatively; subconjunctival injections of 5-fluorouracil may be given. This is known as an augmented trabeculectomy.

Infective endophthalmitis is a recognised complication of glaucoma filtering surgery. It may occur in the early postoperative period or it may happen years after surgery. Another entity, possibly a precursor to endophthalmitis has been described as blebitis.¹ Blebitis is an infection of the trabeculectomy bleb without vitreous involvement.

Clinical features of blebitis include pain, photophobia, conjunctival discharge, and severe conjunctival injection centred on an opalescent filtering bleb. A Siedel test may be positive (this indicates aqueous leakage from the bleb) and there may be an anterior chamber reaction. There is no vitritis.²

As many as one …