Acute retrobulbar hemorrhage after tooth extraction: Case report and treatment of a rare condition

Retrobulbar hemorrhage (RBH) refers to hemorrhage within the bony orbital cavity and most commonly results from periorbital surgery or trauma. RBH following tooth extraction is a rare occurrence. Patients with RBH will endorse symptoms of periorbital pain, double vision, or vision loss, and present with evidence of proptosis, chemosis, or subconjunctival hemorrhage. Irreversible vision loss may occur if orbital compartment syndrome (OCS) results in the setting of RBH and is not expediently treated. Herein we present a case of a 72-year-old female who developed a RBH and OCS immediately after routine molar tooth extraction. Emergent treatment by the oral surgeon with a lateral canthotomy and inferior cantholysis led to full visual recovery. Dentists and oral surgeons should be aware of this potential rare vision-threatening complication of atraumatic tooth extraction and educated on the technique of decompressive lateral canthotomy and cantholysis.