Indian Journal of Ophthalmology

ARTICLES
Year
: 1972  |  Volume : 20  |  Issue : 3  |  Page : 139-

Sympathetic ophthalmia after couching operation


GC Sood, P Singh, BA Chappu 
 Maulana Azad Medical College & Irwin Hospital, New Delhi, India

Correspondence Address:
G C Sood
Maulana Azad Medical College & Irwin Hospital, New Delhi
India




How to cite this article:
Sood G C, Singh P, Chappu B A. Sympathetic ophthalmia after couching operation.Indian J Ophthalmol 1972;20:139-139


How to cite this URL:
Sood G C, Singh P, Chappu B A. Sympathetic ophthalmia after couching operation. Indian J Ophthalmol [serial online] 1972 [cited 2024 Mar 28 ];20:139-139
Available from: https://journals.lww.com/ijo/pages/default.aspx/text.asp?1972/20/3/139/34652


Full Text

Couching operation is still practiced by unqualified quacks in remote vil�lages of India and Pakistan, although some time they come to the cities. The present case was operated by a couch�er in Delhi. The interesting feature of the case is that he developed sympa�thetic ophthalmia in the other eye four months after the operation, a compli�cation which to the best of our know�ledge has not been reported earlier.

 Case Report



K. M., Hindu male of 70 years at�tended the out patient department of Irwin Hospital on Oct. 14, 1969 with the complaint of pain, redness and di�minution of vision in the right eye. On interrogation it was revealed that he had cataract operation from an un�qualified eye surgeon on his right eye on April 15, 1969. His right eye was bandaged for only three days after which his vision was considerably im�proved. After about four months his right eye became red and painful. This was soon followed by slight blurring of vision of left eye. He took some treat�ment from an unqualified person for a few days before attending the out pa�tient department of our Hospital.

Examination of the right eye re�vealed moderate circum-corneal con�gestion, deep anterior chamber, dilated pupil and cataractous lens displaced down and nasally in the posterior seg�ment. Slit lamp examination showed multiple white and pigmented rounded K.P.s and aqueous flare. The left eye showed slight rarcumcorneal conges�tion and immature cataract. On slit lamp examination multiple white K.P.s with minimal aqueous flare was seen which was suggestive of sympathetic ophthalmia.

Systemic examination and labora�tory investigations were negative.

The patient was put on oral Pred�nisolone 10 mg. O.D.S. Locally At�ropine ointment 1%, Hydrocortisone eye ointment 1 % was given four times a day in both the eyes, supplemented with subconjunctival injection of hy�drocortisone biweekly. The patient responded well to the treatment is be�ing continued.

 Discussion



The complications reported after couching operation are secondary glaucoma, panophthalmitis, phthisis bulbi after cataract, retinal detach�ment, corneal distrophy, and staphy�loma (Saxena, [1] Sood and Natrajan). [2] To our knowledge sympathetic oph�thalmia has not been reported after couching operation and this is perhaps the first case.

 Summary



A case of sympathetic ophthalmia after couching operation is reported.

References

1Saxena, R. C.: Couching and its Hazards. J. All Ind. Ophth. Soc. 13: 100. (1965).
2Sood, N. N. and Natrajan, A.: Couching for Cataract Am. Jour. Ophth. 66, 687 (1968).