Relieving Eye Pressure After Facial Trauma

Lateral canthotomy is an emergency procedure used to relieve dangerous pressure behind the eye. It is performed when orbital compartment syndrome develops. In this condition, pressure rises fast and can damage the optic nerve and its blood supply, which can lead to blindness if the pressure is not relieved quickly.

Lateral canthotomy and inferior cantholysis is a potentially eyesight saving procedure, which is performed to relieve orbital compartment syndrome.

An orbital compartment syndrome, or OCS, results from a buildup of pressure behind the eye - most commonly caused by retrobulbar hematoma. As the pressure rises, both the optic nerve and its v...