Expulsive choroidal effusion: case report of a rare complication of intraocular surgery

A case of expulsive choroidal effusion occurring during extracapsular cataract extraction in a 75 year old woman is presented. The episode occurred at the time of insertion of the pseudophake into the ciliary sulcus. The woman had pre-existent filtering bleb and was hypertensive, factors which may have contributed to the episode. Although this is dramatic occurrence, it needs to be distinguished from expulsive choroidal hemorrhage which carries a much worse porgnosis. In this instant, management was expectant and patient attained 6/12 with over-refraction. It is recommended that patients who may be at risk for expulsive choroidal effusion should have in the bag pseudophake fixation rather than sulcus fixation to obviate pressure on the circular vascular arcade.