Bilateral Chemosis and Conjunctival Venous Engorgement in Cardiopulmonary Failure

¹ Department of Medicine, University of California, Irvine

Nine patients with acute superimposed on chronic respiratory failure presented with severe bilateral chemosis and conjunctival venous engorgement. All patients manifested florid right heart failure and hypoxemia while seven also had evidence of left ventricular failure and eight experienced hypercapnia. As the heart failure and arterial blood gases improved, the above mentioned ocular manifestations slowly cleared. Chemosis and conjunctival venular engorgement may be a little appreciated sign of combined cardiopulmonary failure.