Temporary silicone oil tamponade in the management of retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Silicone oil was used as a temporary (four to six weeks) tamponade in conjunction with vitreous surgery in the management of 146 eyes with retinal detachment complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy. A success rate of 62% (90 of 146 cases) was achieved six months after the silicone was removed. Clinical complications directly related to silicone oil were rare and did not progress or develop after the removal of silicone except for opacification of the lens in phakic eyes. This occurred frequently (43 of 55 eyes) and progressed many months after the withdrawal of silicone.