Massive exudative retinal and choroidal detachments following scleral buckling surgery

Three aphakic male patients underwent successful scleral buckling surgery for unilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Within a two-week postoperative period, each developed severe ocular pain with massive exudative retinal and choroidal detachments resembling recurrent rhegmatogenous or traction retinal detachment or implant infection. Systemic prednisone therapy resulted in prompt resolution of ocular pain and reabsorption of subretinal and suprachoroidal fluid. It is important to recognize this uncommon postoperative syndrome so that proper medical therapy may be initiated and unnecessary additional retinal or vitreous surgery can be avoided.