Retinal arteriolar occlusions following amniotic fluid embolism.

Amniotic fluid embolism is a serious complication of pregnancy resulting in death in the majority of patients. Particulate matter originating in the amniotic fluid has been identified at autopsy in the lung, kidney, and brain. A patient is presented who survived amniotic fluid embolism and developed bilateral retinal arteriolar occlusions, presumably based on entrapment of particulate matter originating in amniotic fluid. Her clinical course and ophthalmic findings are reviewed, and the relationship between amniotic fluid embolism and retinal vascular occlusion is discussed.