Vitrectomy and fluid/silicone-oil exchange for giant retinal tears: results at 18 months.

Sixty-five eyes with giant retinal tears previously reviewed at 6 months after vitrectomy and fluid/silicone-oil exchange were again reviewed 18 months after surgery. The retina remained attached in 54 eyes (83%), and of these 32 (57%) had visual acuities of 6/60 or better. Poor acuities were attributed in most cases to cataract associated with silicone-oil contact or macular damage from preoperative macular detachment. Glaucoma occurred chiefly in those eyes which were aphakic prior to surgery, or were rendered aphakic at surgery, but did not influence the visual outcome at this stage. Encouraging results of surgery after 6 months were confirmed after 18 months, although the level of vision had fallen in some cases due to the development of lens opacities.