Vitrectomy for traumatic retinal incarceration.

Traumatic retinal incarceration into a scleral wound may prevent successful surgical rehabilitation of eyes with severe posterior segment injury. We managed 15 consecutive eyes with traumatic retinal incarceration and associated retinal detachment with vitrectomy techniques. We based our approach on the anteroposterior location of the incarceration site and the amount of retina incarcerated into the wound. Despite successful anatomic reattachment in six of seven eyes with retinal incarceration posterior to the vortex vein ampullae, only two of seven eyes achieved visual acuity of 5/200 or better. In eyes with more peripheral retinal incarceration, anatomic reattachment was achieved in five of eight eyes and visual acuity of 5/200 or better was achieved in four eyes. Overall, a visual acuity of 5/200 or better was achieved in six (40%) of 15 eyes with a minimum follow-up of six months.