In order to understand what anterior chamber paracentesis is all about, it is necessary to understand what the term paracentesis means. Paracentesis is a procedure which involves the evacuation of unwanted fluid from a cavity or a body tissue. This evacuation of unwanted fluid is done by a drainage tube. There are times when anterior chamber paracentesis is performed on the eye. This anterior chamber paracentesis procedure may be recommended when a blood vessel in the retina becomes blocked. In such cases, patients often experience a sudden but painless loss of vision. Keep in mind that such a blockage could occur in either the main artery or even in a vein in the retina. There could be several possible reasons for a retina being blocked. These reasons include but are not limited to an inflammation of the blood vessels (also known as giant cell arteritis), an embolism (blood clot) that is blocking the eye or when the main artery i.e. the central retinal artery gets blocked. Other reasons for the blockage also include old age. This is also seen in patients who suffer with high blood pressure, glaucoma or diabetes.
Anterior chamber paracentesis may be advised if the central renal artery is blocked. Symptoms of the central renal artery being blocked are a partial or complete loss of vision over the entire field of vision in that particular eye. It is important to remember that treatment should be administered immediately to unblock the artery but this treatment may not always be effective. Doctors may even resort to massaging the eyes with their fingers to relieve the pressure inside of the eye. If this procedure does not help, then anterior chamber paracentesis may be carried out.
The anterior chamber paracentesis procedure is as follows. The doctor residing over the procedure would put some drops in the eyes of the concerned patient. The drops help to numb the eye during the procedure. Once the drops have taken effect, the doctor inserts a needle into the anterior chamber of the eye and withdraws a small amount of fluid. This withdrawal of fluid helps to reduce the pressure inside the eye. Anterior chamber paracentesis helps in dislodging the blockage inside the eye. If it is a blood clot or any other blockage, this procedure may help to move the blockage to a smaller part of the eye. This is beneficial as this will then reduce the damage caused to the retina by the blockage.