Long-term retinal changes after strabismus surgery, suspected signs of past scleral perforations

Scleral perforation during strabismus surgery is considered a rare complication that usually results in no significant consequences. The true rate of such occurrences is difficult to evaluate due to the young age of most patients and the occult nature of most events. This study aimed to evaluate long-term retinal changes under the suture areas in patients post-strabismus surgery as presumed signs indicating past undiscovered scleral perforations.

The study population consisted of patients with a follow-up of at least 10 years post-strabismus surgery at the [redacted for review] Eye Institute and with no known retinal conditions as well as with wide fundus visibility. We performed slit-lamp retinal periphery examinations in search of retinal scars or changes at the suture sites.

Seventy-one eyes from 43 patients were examined. The mean age (±standard deviation [SD]) at the time of examination was 27 years (±14), and the mean number of strabismus surgeries per patient was 1.8. Three of the examined eyes showed retinal changes at the suture sites, yielding an overall incidence rate of suspected perforation/penetration of 4.2% per eye and 3.6% per strabismus surgery. These three patients were all asymptomatic.

Scleral perforations during strabismus surgeries could remain unnoticed since a comprehensive exam of the retinal periphery is challenging in young children, especially during the postoperative period. While retinal changes caused by inadvertent scleral perforations appear to have no clinical sequelae in a time frame of 10 years, such changes should be noted for future fundoscopic examinations.