Localized retinal detachment with combined central retinal artery and vein occlusion after retrobulbar anesthesia

The authors report a patient who was observed to have a localized retinal detachment with combined central retinal artery and vein occlusion after cataract surgery performed with retrobulbar anesthesia. The authors propose that this condition resulted from injection of the anesthetic mixture into the optic nerve. No acute neurologic symptoms occurred, but visual loss was severe and permanent. This case adds to the previously reported spectrum of complications from retrobulbar anesthesia.