The national, prospective, randomized vitrectomy study for chronic aphakic cystoid macular edema. Progress report and comparison between the control and nonrandomized groups.

Three years ago, a prospective, randomized, collaborative study investigating the effectiveness of vitrectomy for chronic aphakic cystoid macular edema in eyes with vitreous adherent to the cataract wound but without an intraocular lens was started. To date, the study consists of 130 eyes which have been assigned to three different groups. Without disturbing the data related to the question of the effectiveness of surgery, an analysis of patient histories and eye findings reveal interesting facts. The time between cataract surgery and onset of visual decrease was three months. Most of the eyes have a detached posterior vitreous face, and only 4% had evidence of vitreous traction on the macula. All eyes demonstrated some degree of flare and cells in the aqueous or vitreous, and the presence of systemic vascular disease in the patient does not seem to determine the eye's long term visual performance.