Gennarfrancesco Iaccarino

Echographic Evaluation of a Subconjunctival Cystic Lesion

Migration of intraocular silicone oil, used in the treatment of complicated retinal detachment, has been rarely described, but when it happens it can arise with a differential diagnosis with scleral buckling extrusion, tumor, dermoid, ocular cysticercosis, and abscess. The presence of silicone oil in the eye gives very ugly echographic pictures, but these kinds of pictures can be very useful in making a differential diagnosis in the above-mentioned cases. A 39-year-old white female complained of the presence of conjunctival hyperemia and tearing in the right eye (RE); her visual acuity was hand motion, and the intraocular pressure was 14 mmHg. In the upper nasal quadrant a dome shaped lesion was detected. Due to the lens opacities, the patient underwent an echographic examination, which revealed the presence of silicon oil both in the vitreous chamber and in a large subconjunctival space, corresponding to the lesion. This article in addition provides a possible explanation of such cystic formation and discusses the risk factors and the role of the echographic examination in such cases.

Expulsive hemorrhage before phacoemulsification.

A 65-year-old white man who was scheduled for cataract extraction experienced a sudden increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) with flattening of the anterior chamber immediately after the anterior capsule incision. The eye was sutured, and because no decrease in pressure was noted, surgery was postponed. The presence of the cataract prevented ophthalmoscopic examination. Echographic examination revealed a hemorrhagic choroidal detachment with involvement of the ciliary body. The patient was examined regularly until the choroidal detachment disappeared 4 weeks later. He then had uneventful phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation.

Biometry and characterization of the lens

We measured the lens thickness in a group of patients with normal lenses compared to a group of patients with different age and with various types of lens opacities.