Treatment of Hypotony Maculopathy Caused by Silicone Oil Removal With Gas Tamponade

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To report a case of hypotony maculopathy after silicon oil removal treated by intravitreal gas injection. CASE SUMMARY: A 35-year-old women presented with decreased visual acuity of the right eye for two weeks. Retinal detachment with peripheral retinal tears was observed in the patient's right eye. Pars plana vitrectomy including lensectomy, endolaser photo-coagulation and silicone oil injection was performed. Silicone oil removal was performed to improve patient's visual acuity two months after the operation. After the silicone oil removal, visual acuity was decreased to hand motion, and intraocular pressure was decreased below 3 mmHg while observing chorioretinal folding in fundus for two months. Intraviteal C3F8 gas injections were performed three times in the two months after silicone oil removal. After three gas injections, gradual reduction of chorioretinal folding was observed. Visual acuity was improved to 0.2 and IOP was maintained at 8 to 10 mmHg for 18 months after the last gas injection. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal gas injection offers a safe and effective method for treating hypotony retinopathy after silicon oil removal.