Delayed-onset isolated central Descemet membrane blister detachment following phacoemulsification

We report 2 patients who developed delayed-onset isolated central Descemet membrane (DM) blister-like detachment following phacoemulsification. The detachments were not associated with a DM tear or inadvertent injection of fluid under DM, and no fluid tracks from the periphery were present. When the detachments failed to resolve spontaneously over several months, intracameral air or C(3)F(8) gas was injected. In 1 patient, a therapeutic paracentral puncture in DM was also performed to facilitate escape of the entrapped fluid. Although a small residual detachment (confirmed by optical coherence tomography) remained in both cases, the visual acuity improved to 20/25 in 1 patient and 20/30 in the other. We think these unique focal detachments in DM may be associated with an underlying preexisting weakness in the DM attachment to the stroma.