A 56-year-old patient presents after 3 days of cataract surgery with a history of increasing pain and diminished vision after an initial improvement. The most likely cause would be –

Symptoms and signs of bacterial endophthalmitis are generally present between 48 and 72 hours after surgery and include: ocular pain, diminished vision, lid oedema, conjunctival chemosis and marked circumciliary congestion, corneal oedema, exudates in the pupillary area, hypopyon and diminished or absent red pupillary glow.