Temporary silicone oil tamponade in the treatment of complicated diabetic retinal detachments.

A retrospective study is reported on 132 eyes with retinal detachment, resulting from advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy, treated using vitrectomy techniques and silicone oil tamponade. Epiretinal surgery was performed using a bimanual technique. Silicone oil was removed in 64 eyes (49%) which regained an improved final vision of 5/200 or better. In 17 eyes (13%), vision was improved but silicone oil could not be removed. It is expected that the function of several of these eyes will eventually deteriorate because of progressive silicone-induced glaucoma. The remaining 51 eyes (38%) were surgical and functional failures.