Intraocular pressure response after pneumatic retinopexy

We measured intraocular pressure over a five-day period in ten consecutive patients undergoing pneumatic retinopexy to determine the effect of an expanding gas bubble. During treatment, all eyes received 0.3 ml perfluoropropane gas. All eyes had an immediate rise in intraocular pressure, which in four eyes was associated with absence of central retinal artery perfusion for three minutes. Once intraocular pressure fell toward baseline (30 to 60 minutes after gas injection), we did not find a high intraocular pressure during the subsequent five-day period. We conclude that intraocular pressure-reducing medication is not routinely indicated in these eyes.