EFFECT OF VITRECTOMY ON EPIRETINAL MEMBRANES AFTER ENDOGENOUS FUNGAL ENDOPHTHALMITIS

Pars plana vitrectomy was used to remove proliferative membranes cause d by endogenous fungal endophthalmitis in 3 patients (3 eyes). Tractio nal retinal detachment was present in all. In 2 eyes, a fibrovascular membrane originated in the optic nerve head and was connected to a ful l-thickness chorioretinal scar. In the other, a thick preretinal membr ane was found in the macula, with total retinal detachment. In all eye s, the epiretinal membrane was successfully removed and the retina rea ttached. Visual outcome depended on the site of the chorioretinal scar . We advocate pars plana vitrectomy as the method of choice for tracti onal retinal detachment following fungal endophthalmitis.