title: Ipsilateral, isolated amaurosis after inferior alveolar nerve block: report of two rare cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Local anesthetics are utilized all over the world for performing painless dental procedures. Usually, the administration of local anesthetic is an uncomplicated process that passes off uneventfully. Complications, when seen, are not usually serious. However, blindness is an alarming complication both for the patient and for the dentist. Amaurosis can occur with both maxillary and mandibular nerve blocks. Amaurosis is usually associated with other ocular complications like ptosis, diplopia, and periorbital blanching.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report two rare cases of transient isolated amaurosis. Both the instances of amaurosis were seen after inferior alveolar nerve blocks. The condition was transient and resolved without any active intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Though permanent amaurosis has been reported, it is usually transient in nature. Various causes have been proposed like intravascular injection, sympathetic impulse generation, and embolism. The etiology in the present case was believed to be intravascular injection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Vyas Dental College and Hospital, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. dineshverma@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Dinesh Kumar
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Ritesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajan
authors.forename: Sundararaman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prabhu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020757:Amaurosis Fugax / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000187:drug effects*; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D014081:Tooth Extraction
chemical_list: D008012:Lidocaine