The long-term effects of an accidental injection of depot corticosteroids in an infant eye.

A 4-month-old infant received an accidental intraocular injection of methylprednisolone while undergoing penetrating keratoplasty for congenital, hereditary endothelial dystrophy. This was not discovered until 4 months later, at which time the intraocular pressure (IOP) was increasing and an early cataract was forming. A lensectomy and vitrectomy were performed when the child was 12 months old. The IOP remained higher than that of the fellow eye, but the recovery was otherwise uneventful. This indicates that intraocular depot steroid may be tolerated, except when there is the occurrence of known pharmacologic side effects.