Phacoanaphylactic glaucoma. A case presentation

Abstract

Glaucoma can be defined as an irreversible chronic optic neuropathy. It is the second cause of irreversible blindness in the United States and the most frequent worldwide. In Cuba it is the first cause. The lens can sometimes behave as a glaucoma inducer, specifically if it is not in physiological conditions: glaucoma induced by the lens, for example, the phacoanaphylactic. We present the case of an 89-year-old male patient operated on for a senile cataract with a vitreous dislocation of crystalline rests 7 years ago, who presented with recent eye inflammatory and hypertensive symptoms of the operated eye. With the diagnosis of phacoanaphylactic glaucoma, medical and surgical treatment was applied, with which the problem was solved, with slight visual sequelae. In this entity there is a history of lens surgery or penetrating wound and then a period of latency, during which the sensitization to the crystalline proteins takes place. The anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive treatment and disappearance of the causative agent is indicated. To diagnose opportunely the risk factors of the phacoanaphylactic glaucoma, and to orient the patients who present them, constitute the fundamental pillars to avoid the collateral damages by this entity.