The use of sodium hyaluronate (Healon) in the treatment of complicated cases of retinal detachment.

Thirty-six eyes with retinal detachment and various degrees of proliferative vitreoretinopathy were operated with conventional buckling techniques and the additional use of intravitreal injected sodium hyaluronate (Healon). Eighteen eyes (50%) had re-attached retina 6 months post-operatively. The re-attachment rate depended upon the severity of the proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Three of 4 eyes with grade B, 4 of 5 with grade C-1, 8 of 13 with grade C-2, 2 of 11 with grade C-3 and 1 of 3 eyes with grade D-1 were reattached. Major complication occurred in 3 aphakic eyes where persistent intraocular pressure rise to 60-70 mmHg necessitated removal of Healon to normalize the intraocular pressure. In one eye Healon passed through a retinal rupture to the subretinal space.