Uveitis–glaucoma–hyphema syndrome with sclera-fixed posterior-chamber two-haptic intraocular lens in a highly myopic eye: a case report

BACKGROUND: We report a case of uveitis–glaucoma–hyphema (UGH) syndrome in a highly myopic pseudophakic eye with seemingly normal positioning of a two-haptic intraocular lens (IOL). CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a 61-year-old woman suffering recurrent episodes of blurred vision, floaters, redness, elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), and pain in the right eye following implantation of a sclera-fixed IOL. The symptoms were alleviated by the systemic and topical administration of IOP-lowering and anti-inflammatory medications. A slit-lamp examination revealed depigmentation and atrophy of the iris, and a quiet anterior chamber in the right eye. Endophthalmitis caused by hypovirulent bacteria and UGH syndrome were both considered. Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and gonioscopy provided direct evidence of malpositioned IOL haptics, which pushed the root of the iris forward, resulting in persistent mechanical chaffing, the probable cause of UGH syndrome. IOL explantation resolved her symptoms. Negative bacterial culture results for the IOL excluded the possibility of endophthalmitis. CONCLUSIONS: Heightened awareness of underlying UGH syndrome and prompt UBM are important when doctors encounter a patient with a sclera-fixed IOL suffering from recurrent anterior segment inflammation and elevated IOP.