Adverse periocular reaction after blood transfusion

PURPOSE: To describe a patient with an acute conjunctival and periocular reaction after blood transfusion. METHODS: Case report and literature review. RESULTS: A 67-year-old woman sustained a self-limited periocular reaction characterized by bilateral turgescence and redness of the conjunctiva and eyelids after blood transfusion. More than 100 similar reactions of this type have been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CONCLUSIONS: The cause of this periocular transfusion reaction is unclear, but this type of reaction is being investigated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This case suggests that mild transfusion complications, even if unusual, may be under-reported.