Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-4-2016

Comments

This article has been peer reviewed. It was published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports.

Volume 10, Issue 1, 4 February 2016, Article number 814.

The published version is available at DOI: 10.1186/s13256-016-0814-x

Copyright © 2016 Figueiredo et al.

Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: After a successful trabeculectomy, a sudden intraocular pressure decrease may alter the intracranial to intraocular pressure ratio and cause decompression retinopathy. Frequent Valsalva maneuvers may also play a role in its pathogenesis. This condition may manifest as multiple retinal hemorrhages, edema of the optic disc, macular edema, or a sudden decrease in visual acuity postoperatively. Outcomes for patients are usually good, with spontaneous resolution occurring within a matter of weeks. It has been rarely reported in the literature as a bilateral condition.

CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of consecutive bilateral decompression retinopathy in a 54-year-old severely obese Caucasian woman (body mass index 37 kg/m(2)) with open angle glaucoma and a poor history of medical therapeutic compliance, who chose surgical treatment based on her inability to consistently use ocular drops. Our patient underwent a trabeculectomy with mitomycin C in both eyes, with surgeries taking place 3 months apart. After the first surgery, 2 weeks postoperatively, she complained of decreased visual acuity. Examination of her right eye fundus revealed multiple retinal hemorrhages and disc edema. There was a similar pattern in her left eye, this time including maculopathy. Her visual acuity and fundoscopic changes resolved spontaneously over a period of a month in both cases. Currently, our patient has well-controlled bilateral intraocular pressure, ranging between 14 and 16 mmHg, without hypotensive medication.

CONCLUSIONS: Decompression retinopathy is a potential complication after glaucoma surgery, but has rarely been described as a bilateral consecutive condition. A comprehensive approach could help to anticipate its occurrence and manage it.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

PubMed ID

26846338

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Ophthalmology Commons

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