Silicone oil removal using a self-sealing corneal incision under topical anesthesia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To report the results of silicone oil removal fro m aphakic eyes using a self-sealing clear corneal incision under topical an esthesia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-two eyes of 22 patients who had pars plana vit rectomy combined with silicone oil injection underwent silicone oil removal under topical anesthesia using a self-sealing clear corneal incision. Mean time between silicone oil injection and removal was 3.1 +/- 1.42 months. F ourteen eyes were filled with 1300 cs of silicone oil and 8 eyes were fille d with 5700 cs of silicone oil. The removal was performed with passive wash out in the eyes filled with 1300 cs of silicone oil and with active aspirat ion in the eyes filled with 5700 cs of silicone oil. RESULTS: All of the 22 silicone oil removal procedures performed under topi cal anesthesia had clear corneal incisions that did not require suturing at the end of surgery. Three cases that had 1300 cs of silicone oil required aspiration because of residual silicone oil bubbles. CONCLUSION: Silicone oil can be removed from the aphakic eye using a self-s ealing corneal tunnel incision under topical anesthesia.