Silicone oil-associated optic nerve degeneration

PURPOSE: To report the frequency and extent of silicone oil migration into the optic nerve during silicone oil endotamponade, METHODS: Histopathologic analysis of 74 eyes enucleated after silicone oil endotamponade. RESULTS: In 14 of 74 enucleated eyes (24%), optically empty vacuoles regard ed as silicone oil vacuoles were observed in the retrolaminar optic nerve. In three eyes, silicone oil in the optic nerve was surrounded by a granulom atous inflammatory reaction. Zn serial cross sections, the vacuoles extende d up to the line of surgical transsection (up to 9 mm) of the optic nerve a nd constituted up to 40% of the total cross-sectional area. CONCLUSIONS: After silicons oil endotamponade, silicone oil may replace a c onsiderable amount of tissue of the retrolaminar optic nerve. A granulomato us inflammatory reaction surrounding silicone oil may add to optic nerve da mage. (Am J Ophthalmol 2001;131:392-394, (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.).