Functional results after vitrectomy with silicone oil injection.

In a prospective study we investigated the visual acuity and differential light sensitivity in 39 patients (40 eyes) with reattached macula. One group, treated with an encircling band (21 eyes), was compared to another, where vitrectomy and silicone oil injection had been necessary (19 eyes). Intraoperatively 9 of the vitrectomized eyes received an infusion of daunomycin (7.5 mg/l for 10 min). On average the vitrectomized eyes had a greater loss of visual acuity and differential light sensitivity. In all groups we found a positive correlation between visual acuity and the differential light sensitivity. At the same visual acuity we did not find any obvious difference in sensitivity between the groups. Correlation and regression line were similar for both groups. The mean relative sensitivity was lower in the fovea than in the rest of the tested field. A selective effect of silicone oil on either spatial resolution or differential light sensitivity could not be verified. The intraoperative application of daunomycin had no influence on the functional results.