Exudative Retinal Detachment Without Choroidal Effusion After Glaucoma Surgery in Sturge-Weber Syndrome

An eight-day-old full-term infant with early-onset glaucoma associated with Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) underwent a trabeculotomy combined with a stage 1 Baerveldt glaucoma implant. After five years of stability, the patient developed increased intraocular pressure and axial length in the affected eye, necessitating the activation of the Baerveldt glaucoma implant with concurrent scleral windows. Postoperatively, the patient developed an inferior exudative retinal detachment, which was initially monitored, followed by administration of intravitreal metoprolol. This resulted in the complete resolution of the retinal detachment within six months. We report the first case of postoperative exudative retinal detachment in the absence of choroidal effusion in a child with SWS-related glaucoma. The clinical course raises the possibility that beta-blockers could potentially mitigate certain complications following glaucoma surgeries in these patients. Larger, prospective studies are necessary to generate high-level evidence.