Exudative Retinal Detachment in Preeclampsia. Case Reports

Preeclampsia, eclampsia and HELLP syndrome are serious pregnancy-related complications associated with significant morbidity and mortality. These pathological conditions are related to placental dysfunction, systemic endothelial dysfunction and various clinical and biochemical abnormalities. Exudative retinal detachment as a rare but clinically significant ophthalmologic complication of preeclampsia occurs in 0.2–2% of cases, more frequently affecting primigravidas and often presenting bilaterally. This article presents two case reports of patients with preeclampsia complicated by exudative retinal detachment. The first case describes a 22-year-old primigravida at 35 weeks of gestation with preeclampsia, bilateral visual impairment and exudative retinal detachment. The second case involves a 38-year-old primigravida at 31 weeks of gestation with preeclampsia and incompletely expressed HELLP syndrome, in whom visual impairment and unilateral exudative retinal detachment developed after delivery. In both patients, the exudative retinal detachment was resolved and visual acuity improved within a month after delivery and with stabilization of blood pressure.