Bilateral Necrotizing Scleritis Following Strabismus Surgery for Thyroid Ophthalmopathy

Abstract

A case of a bilateral necrotizing scleritis following strabismus surgery for thyroid ophthalmopathy is described. A 71-year-old man was operated on for esotropia due to prior and equilibrated Grave's disease. Two weeks after surgery, he had a scleral necrosis that was located on the surgery sites (insertion of the two medial rectus muscles). There was no infectious or autoimmune etiology. The pathogenic mechanism was ischemic and inflammatory, doubtless facilitated by the thyroid ophthalmopathy. The outcome was favorable after 3 weeks of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatment. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first bilateral case of this complication.