Purpose

To describe an unexpected and atypical transvitreal and subretinal fibrinoid reaction following vitrectomy for non-clearing vitreous hemorrhage due to proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Observations

A 58-year-old woman with bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy and non-clearing vitreous hemorrhage underwent combined phacoemulsification, intraocular lens implantation and vitrectomy in the right eye. Two months later she underwent staged phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation followed by vitrectomy in the left eye. The early postoperative course of each eye was complicated by choroidal effusion and submacular fibrinoid material on optical coherence tomography. The left eye also developed transvitreal fibrinoid bands.

Conclusions and importance

Subretinal fibrin accumulation is a rare complication of diabetic vitrectomy. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the early post-operative period may assist in the recognition of this complication.