Intraretinal silicone oil vacuoles after macular hole surgery with internal limiting membrane peeling.

PURPOSE

To report the detection of intraretinal silicone oil vacuoles after the use of a silicone oil tamponade for macular hole surgery with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling.

DESIGN

Observational case report.

METHODS

A 57-year-old woman with a recurrent macular hole in the left eye underwent macular hole surgery with ILM peeling and silicone oil tamponade. After early silicone oil emulsification was detected, the silicone oil was removed.

RESULTS

Follow-up ophthalmoscopic examination and optical coherence tomography imaging revealed intraretinal silicone oil vacuoles in the area of ILM peeling.

CONCLUSIONS

Internal limiting membrane defects may facilitate the entry of silicone oil into the retina, leading to accumulation of oil vacuoles. The use of silicone oil in macular hole surgery with ILM peeling may complicate the postoperative outcome.