Morphologic and Immunohistochemical Studies of Attached Retina in Intravitreal Silicone Oil

ABSTRACT

Intraocular silicone oil is known to induce irreversible histological changes in retina. We enucleated an eyeball which was filled with silicone oil for 6 years following pars plana vitrectomy for the treatment of proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Purified 1000 cs silicone oil was used. The reattached retina tissue was examined histopathologically and immunohistochemically. Microscopic examination revealed severe retinal degenerations with many vaculoes in inner retina, the proliferation of glial cells, and the presence of phagocytes. The proliferation of the retinal pigment epithelium and the localized calcification of retinal tissues were also observed. Immunohistochemical study showed retinal tissue expressions of vimentin, S-100, and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP). Electron microscopic examination of the retinal tissues demonstrated some phagocytes with large vacules, which probably had been filled with silicone oil. Our study confirmed that intravitreal silicone oil might damage the retinal tissues.