ULTRASOUND BIOMICROSCOPY FOLLOWING THE INTRAOCULAR USE OF SILICONE OIL

We evaluated the ultrasound biomicroscopy findings and the amount and location of silicone oil residue in anterior structures of the eye bef ore and after silicone oil removal. We examined the anterior structure s in 40 silicone oil 1000 cs-filled eyes at the end of silicone oil ta mponade time (mean silicone oil tamponade duration 5.1 months), and in the same eyes after silicone oil removal. High resolution ultrasound biomicroscopy, 50 MHz transducer, 50 mu m of resolution, was used. Sil icone oil droplets - often not ophthalmoscopically visible - appeared as highly reflective images with after ringing effect. They were prese nt in the anterior structures of the eye in up to 95% of eyes with sil icone oil in the vitreous cavity, and in up to 87.5% after careful sil icone oil removal. With ultrasound biomicroscopy it was possible to id entify small silicone oil droplets with a typical morphological appear ance. Once silicone oil is used in vitreoretinal surgery, its complete removal from the anterior structures of the eye is very difficult to achieve later on.