Lateral canthotomy and cantholysis

(A) Orbital compartment syndrome secondary to acute retrobulbar hemorrhage of the left eye sustained from orbital trauma.

(B) The cutaneous and deep tissues just lateral to the lateral angle are anesthetized with 2% lidocaine with epinephrine.

(C) Clamp a small hemostat horizontally across the lateral canthus from the angle of the eyelid to the margin of the lateral orbital rim.

(D) With blunt-tipped scissors, cut horizontally from the lateral angle of the eyelid to the bony margin of the orbital rim along the line left by the hemostat.

(E) Cut the inferior crus of the lateral canthal tendon with the scissors pointed inferoposteriorly to release it completely from its attachments.