Bilateral diffuse anterior scleritis after unilateral cataract surgery: A case report

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Immunology

Background:

• Surgically induced scleritis (SIS) is an uncommon post-operative complication following ocular procedures.
• Most reported cases involve patients with a history of multiple prior surgeries.

Observation:

• A 64-year-old male presented with unilateral red eye and tenderness.
• The patient had undergone uneventful cataract surgery in the right eye five months prior.
• The left eye had a history of vision loss 25 years earlier with no prior ocular symptoms for two decades.

Findings:

• The patient developed diffuse scleritis in the right eye five months post-cataract surgery.
• Scleritis subsequently appeared in the left eye three months later.
• This represents a novel instance where unilateral ocular surgery appears to have induced bilateral scleritis.

Implications:

• This case suggests that surgical trauma in one eye can potentially trigger scleritis in the contralateral eye.
• The contralateral eye may be susceptible even with a history of prior severe inflammation and long-term quiescence.
• Further investigation is warranted to understand the mechanisms underlying surgery-induced bilateral scleritis.