[Infective endocarditis complicating bilateral bacterial ophthalmitis: a case report].

A 53-year-old female suddenly went blind in her left eye on 3 June, 2000. She was admitted to the Department of Ophthalmology of our hospital under the diagnosis of endophthalmitis. Her left eye was enucleated, and Streptococcus agalactiae was found in the vitreous fluid. After left ophthalmectomy, inflammation recurred after cessation of antibiotic administration. Echocardiography demonstrated a vegetation of the posterior mitral valve. The diagnosis was infective endocarditis. She was transferred to the Department of Internal Medicine. Mitral regurgitation deteriorated during the course of medical therapy, but she was discharged on 13 September, 2000 because inflammation had improved remarkably and the vegetation had disappeared after administration of penicillin G, panipenem, cefotaxime and clindamycin. We suspected that embolism of the ophthalmic artery was the cause of the sudden blindness in her left eye. Infective endocarditis with bacterial endophthalmitis is very rare in Japan.