Summary

A 68-year-old woman presented with infectious crystalline keratopathy 4 months after she underwent a combined phacoemulsification and Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty for Fuch’s endothelial dystrophy in her left eye. After 5 months of topical moxifloxacin 1%, the infiltrate responded well but had not completely resolved, with the resulting endothelial failure requiring a penetrating keratoplasty 9 months after the initial operation. Microbiology identified Enterococcus faecalis with the histopathology demonstrating bacterial colonies within the graft interface. Postoperatively she developed endophthalmitis, needing vitrectomy and intravitreal antibiotics. The infection settled with no recurrence, with topical and oral antibiotics continued for 2 months. A sutured toric piggyback intraocular lens was performed 18 months postvitrectomy for graft astigmatism, achieving a best-corrected vision of 6/15.

Infectious crystalline keratopathy can occur following Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty, requiring long-term topical therapy and potentially leading to graft failure with the necessity for further keratoplasty.