Purpose: To describe the prophylactic patterns for endophthalmitis after cataract surgery in Iran.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 486 ophthalmologists, members of Iranian Society of Ophthalmology, who participated in the 20th Annual Meeting of Ophthalmology in December 2010, Tehran-Iran, filled a self-administered questionnaire. A wide range of ophthalmologists, from all around the country, working in private and academic medical centers, entered the study. Pre-, intra- and postoperative prophylactic measures and self-reported rate of endophthalmitis were assessed.

Results: Preoperatively, 75.5% of surgeons used povidone-iodine in the conjunctival sac and only 28.6% of them used oral antibiotics. Intraoperative measures used by 61.9% of ophthalmologist included intracameral or subconjunctival injection of antibiotics. Only 7.8% used intracameral cephalosporins. Postoperative antibiotics [mostly chloramphenicol (57%) and ciprofloxacin (28%)] were used by 94.2% of the surgeons. Ten years of practice were required to observe one case of endophthalmitis.

Conclusions: Prophylaxis regimens vary among Iranian ophthalmologist, which need to be updated according to recent guidelines.