Abstract
PURPOSE: To highlight ocular air bubbles as a diagnostically relevant indicator of systemic air embolism. OBSERVATIONS: We describe a case of a patient who developed air bubbles in his anterior chamber following double lung transplant and failed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) cannulation. The air bubbles subsequently self-resolved without intervention prior to the patient's passing. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: We suspect the air bubbles developed due to air entering the anterior chamber from an endogenous, coronary pathway. CLAIM OF PRIORITY DECLARATION: After conducting a literature review on May 28, 2025, utilizing PubMed and Google Scholar, using the key words ("air embolus," "air embolism," "air bubbles," "eye," "anterior chamber"), we did not find any prior reports of patients with air bubbles in the anterior chamber following systemic embolization events.