Posters

Anterior chamber ointment globule found four years after uneventful phacoemulsification 

Poster Details

First Author: P.Burgos Fernandez SPAIN

Co Author(s):    A. Matheu Fabra   P. Marti Rodrigo   J. Armentia Perez De Mendiola   M. Quiroz Quiroga   M. Saint-Gerons Trecu        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

An unusual finding in the postoperative course of phacoemulsification is the presence of intraocular ointment in the anterior chamber. This may contribute to the appearence of early or delayed uveitis, pressure rise, corneal edema or macular edema. We report a case of an asymptomatic woman who underwent cataract surgery of her left eye and presented 4 years later with a free floating globule of ointment in the anterior chamber.

Setting:

Department of Ophthalmology Hospital de l'Esperança - Parc de Salut Mar Barcelona-Spain

Methods:

A 78 year old woman was referred for an anterior chamber cyst in her left eye. She had an uneventful cataract surgery in another center 4 years ago, and uneventful postoperatory course, but described blurred vision with that eye with head movements. We found an 1.5 mm superior ovoid pearly white globule in the anterior chamber. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.8. Transparent cornea, absence of anterior inflammatory reaction and intraocular pressure (IOP) of 15 mmHg were found. The fundus exploration and the macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) was normal, and the endothelial cell count was symmetrical in both eyes.

Results:

Based on the previous reports of globule-like findings in the anterior chamber, our first suspected diagnosis was an intraocular ointment. An anterior segment OCT (AS-OCT) was done and showed an homogeneous hiperreflective globule without contact with the corneal endothelium. This characteristic was also found in an (AS-OCT) of ointment on a pen tip. Despite there was not ophthalmic complications related to the droplet of ointment, we decided the surgical removal because of visual symptoms.

Conclusions:

Several reports have described complications associated with intraocular ointment in the anterior chamber after cataract surgery, but small amounts can be well tolarated for years, as it was in our patient, and the decision to remove it surgically may be based on the individual clinical findings. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: None

Financial Disclosure:

None