Severe Intraocular Pressure Fluctuation following Hemodialysis after Cataract Surgery in a Patient with Chronic Renal Failure

Purpose: To report a case of severe intraocular pressure fluctuation following hemodialysis after cataract surgery in a patient with chronic renal failure.Case summary: A 51-year-old female patient on hemodialysis for chronic renal failure, who was seen regularly by our retina clinic for proliferative diabetic retinopathy and right eye cataract, presented with decreased visual acuity in her right eye. During phacoemulsification under the diagnosis of right eye cataract, zonular dialysis and posterior capsule rupture occurred and intraocular lens ciliary sulcus insertion was performed. Following hemodialysis 3 days after the surgery, the patient complained of headache and right eye pain. The intraocular pressure of the right eye had increased to 44 mmHg. Mild inflammation in the anterior chamber was found with remnant lens material present at the inferior anterior angle. The use of glaucoma eye drops, anterior chamber paracentesis, and anterior chamber irrigation reduced the intraocular pressure and improved the patient’s symptoms. However, a severe increase in intraocular pressure recurred with the above symptoms, again following hemodialysis. Intraocular pressure fluctuation was repetitively present after serial hemodialysis treatments for 1 month, at which point cataract and glaucoma surgeries were considered. However, the intraocular pressure stabilized afterwards; thus, the patient remained under observation and was treated with glaucoma eye drops.Conclusions: Inflammation and a decrease in the aqueous outflow facility due to remnant lens material and the use of an ophthalmic viscoelastic device in cataract surgery may cause severe intraocular pressure fluctuations in patients undergoing hemodialysis for chronic renal failure.