[Long-term results of successful surgical treatment of retinal detachment by vitrectomy and silicone oil injection. Effect of removal of the tamponade on further complications].

We present, with a minimal follow up of six months, the results of 118 silicone oil removals following successful treatment of retinal detachment by pars plana vitrectomy and silicone oil injection. A recurrent retinal detachment occurred in 8.5% of cases, 13% of the 61 phakic eyes at the time of silicone oil removal maintained a clear lens, 29.6% of the eyes had a raised intraocular pressure and 6.8% had a keratopathy. The visual acuity improved in 72.8% of eyes after silicone oil removal. The main reasons for a late decrease in visual acuity were recurrence of the detachment, hypertonia, chronic hypotonia and keratopathy. All the eyes with late complications after silicone oil removal had a clinically significant droplet dispersion in the anterior chamber. Only complete and early silicone oil removal seems to decrease the complication rate.