Sympathetic ophthalmia after cyclocryotherapy of neovascular glaucoma without ocular penetration

A 66-year-old man underwent cyclocryotherapy for treatment of neovascular glaucoma in a blind eye. Although neither history, clinical examination, nor histologic evaluation uncovered any ocular penetration, he subsequently developed sympathetic ophthalmia. This and other cases suggest that cyclocryotherapy could be a factor in the pathogenesis of sympathetic ophthalmia, although the mechanism is far from clear.