Extraction of intraocular foreign bodies by pars plana vitrectomy. A retrospective study.

We reviewed the medical records of 44 patients who underwent a pars plana vitrectomy to remove posttraumatic intraocular foreign bodies. The group most affected was that of males with a mean age of 28 years, who sustained a job injury, presenting with a single corneal laceration less than 2 mm in extension. There were 31 (70.45%) metallic foreign bodies. At surgery, 27 (61.36%) of the 44 foreign bodies were removed with forceps and 17 (38.63%) with the rare-earth magnet. From these patients, 84.61% obtained a final visual acuity equal or better than that on admission. We did not find a statistically significant difference between the groups with different timing on their vitrectomy, nor between groups presenting with and without vitreous hemorrhage.