Sudden visual loss after uneventful cataract surgery: Snuff syndrome

Sharma, Neil; Ooi, Ju-Lee; Francis, Ian C.; Sharma, Shanel; Papalkar, Daya; Kim, Peter; Alexander, Stella L.; Schumacher, R.Steve

doi:10.1016/j.jcrs.2004.06.023

« Previous Next »Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery
Volume 30, Issue 11 , Pages 2435-2437, November 2004

Sudden visual loss after uneventful cataract surgery:☆

Snuff syndrome

Neil Sharma, MB,BS
- Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Chatswood New South Wales, Australia
Ju-Lee Ooi, MBBS
- Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Chatswood New South Wales, Australia
Ian C. Francis, FASOPRS
- Reprint requests to Dr. Ian C. Francis, Suite 12, Chatswood Grove, 12-14 Malvern Avenue, Chatswood, 2067, New South Wales, Australia.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Chatswood New South Wales, Australia
- Ophthalmic Surgery Center, Chatswood New South Wales, Australia
Shanel Sharma, MBBS
- Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Chatswood New South Wales, Australia
Daya Papalkar, MB
- Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Chatswood New South Wales, Australia
Peter Kim, MBBS
- Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Chatswood New South Wales, Australia
Stella L. Alexander, FANZCA
- Ophthalmic Surgery Center, Chatswood New South Wales, Australia
R.Steve Schumacher, FANZCA
- Ophthalmic Surgery Center, Chatswood New South Wales, Australia

Accepted 13 April 2004.

Abstract

We describe a case in which the patient had routine, uneventful cataract surgery and developed snuff syndrome on day 1 postoperatively. The patient had pseudoexfoliation syndrome and normal intraocular pressure that was well controlled by timolol and previous laser trabeculoplasty. Although the visual result had been good after surgery in the first (right) eye with a best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 6/5, this adverse event, which decreased the BCVA in the left eye from 6/24 preoperatively to hand movements postoperatively, was unexpected. Systemic evaluation failed to identify a specific cause. Data were collected prospectively on 1000 subsequent, consecutive cases of cataract surgery, but we were unable to find pathogenetic data on this occurrence.