[Anticoagulative therapy in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration: acute angle closure glaucoma after massive intraocular hemorrhage].

Background: Acute secondary angle closure glaucoma after massive vitreous and subretinal hemorrhage from exudative age related macular degeneration is a seldom, but devastating complication of an anticoagulative therapy.

Patients: Four patients (age range 70-76 years) developed unilateral acute angle closure glaucoma after massive intraocular bleeding due to exudative age-related macular degeneration and anticoagulative therapy. Three patients received Phenprocomoun and one patient thrombolytic therapy with heparin. One eye had led to blindness at initial investigation. Pars plana vitrectomy was performed in the remaining three eyes. Within a few months, 2 of these 3 eyes were blind, one eye had light perception and all three eyes developed hypotonia.

Conclusion: Acute angle closure glaucoma after intraocular bleeding may be the initial clinical manifestation of overtreatment with anticoagulants. Early pars plana vitrectomy probably will increase the surveillance rate of the eye but not the visual prognosis.