ABSTRACT
The results of diabetic vitrectomy on eyes with severe proliferative fibrovascular membranes are often disappointing, because of difficulties in removing the membranes. But we sometimes observe the regression of the proliferative fibrovascular membranes when the antero-posterior tractional force become released. Hence we compared the surgical prognosis of proliferative diabetic retmopathy according to the severity of proliferation and whether removal of antero-posterior vitreoretinal traction was complete or not. The results showed that the anatomic success rate and final visual acuities(VA) were significantly better in less-severe proliferation group(LSPG) than in severe prolif era tion group(SPG). In SPG, the anatomic success rate and VA tended to be better when we were able to remove the antero-posterior vitreoretinal adhesion completely whether the removal of preretinal membranes was complete or not. When complete removal of the diabetic fibrovascular membrane is difficult due to severe proliferation and broad adhesion, complete removal of anter-posterior traction only could be an alternative in diabetic vitrectomy.