Intramuscular Injection of Anesthetic Agent into the Left Lateral Rectus Muscle during Retrobulbar Anesthesia

Purpose: Strabismus is a well-recognized complication of retrobulbar anesthesia, which is used in cataract surgery. It often manifests as paresis, and sometimes as contracture in its late stages. Case summary: Herein, we report the case of a patient with left lateral rectus paresis that was caused by intramuscular injection of an anesthetic agent to induce retrobulbar anesthesia. The presenting symptom was diplopia, which increased on left lateral gaze, and which had completely recovered after conservative treatment using steroids. Conclusions: In cases of such retrobulbar anesthesia-related strabismus, patient management is tailored to individuals.