Vascular Occlusions following Ocular Surgical Procedures: A Clinical Observation of Vascular Complications after Ocular Surgery

BACKGROUND: Ocular vascular occlusions following intraocular procedures are a rare complication. We report a case series of patients with retinal vascular occlusions or anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) after anterior and posterior segment surgery and demonstrate possible risk factors. METHODS: Observational case series. RESULTS: In ten patients, vascular occlusions were observed within ten weeks after intraocular surgery: branch retinal arterial occlusion (BRAO) (n = 2), central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) (n = 2), central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) (n = 1), branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) (n = 1), anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) (n = 3), and combined central artery and vein occlusion (n = 1). AION occurred later (27–69 d) than arterial occlusions (14–60 d) or venous occlusions (1-2 d). In all cases, either specific surgical manipulations or general vascular disorders were identified as risk factors. In addition to general cardiovascular risk factors (arterial hypertension n = 6, diabetes mellitus n = 4), internal workup disclosed bilateral stenosis of the carotid arteries (n = 1) and myeloproliferative syndrome (n = 1). CONCLUSION: Vascular occlusions after surgical ocular procedures seem to be more frequent when cardiovascular diseases coexist. Surgical maneuvers and intra- or postoperative pressure changes may act as a triggering mechanism in patients with underlying systemic cardiovascular disorders. Affected patients should undergo thorough internal examination to identify possible underlying diseases.