REMOVAL OF SILICONE OIL FOLLOWING DIABETIC VITRECTOMY

The outcome of the removal of silicone oil from previously vitrectomis ed diabetic eyes was studied in a series of 25 eyes in 24 patients. Or iginally the patients presented with complex retinal detachments assoc iated with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and all had reattached r etinas after the initial operation. During the silicone tamponade, a n umber of complications had occurred. Cataract had developed in 14 eyes , glaucoma in eight, and reproliferation of fibrous membranes in 12. A fter the removal of silicone the retina re-detached in three eyes (in all cases associated with severe postoperative haemorrhage), hypotony occurred in five eyes (transiently in four) and the seven eyes remaini ng phakic developed a cataract. In spite of these problems the eventua l visual acuities returned to the immediate post-vitrectomy levels in almost all the eyes.