Transient retinal artery occlusion after phacoemulsification under local anesthetic block

ABSTRACT We here in report the case of a patient subjected to cataract surgery through phacoemulsification under local anesthetic block, without intra-operative complications. The patient presented important visual impairment in the first post-operative day. Fundoscopy showed pallor resembling cherry-red spots at the macula. Fluorescein angiography did not depict signs of vascular occlusion and the spectral-domain optical coherence tomography showed increased reflectivity in the inner layers of the retina, thus suggesting local thickening and edema. The current case led to the diagnostic hypothesis of transient retinal arterial occlusion.