Vitreous loss managed by anterior vitrectomy. Long-term follow-up of 59 cases.

Fifty-nine cases of vitreous loss managed by anterior vitrectomy were followed up for an average of 26 months. Thirty-seven cases were managed by automated anterior vitrectomy and 22 by cellulose sponge anterior vitrectomy. Both techniques, when performed by resident ophthalmologists, give equivalent results. Anterior vitrectomy for vitreous loss gives significantly better results than nontreatment of vitreous loss but significantly poorer results than uncomplicated intracapsular cataract extraction. This is largely caused by the increased incidence of chronic cystoid macular edema after vitreous loss. Vitreous loss treated by anterior vitrectomy is associated with 10% to 15% greater endothelial cell loss than uncomplicated intracapsular cataract extraction.