ABSTRACT
A review was undertaken of nine eyes of nine patients who suffered tightly bound dense premacular hemorrhage as a complication of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Patients who did not receive vitrectomy within four weeks of the onset of the hemorrhage all progressed to late macular traction and visual acuity no better than 6/30. Of the five patients who received vitrectomy within four weeks of the onset of the hemorrhage, none developed significant late macular traction and all achieved visual acuity of 6/12 or better. It is possible that the tightly bound dense premacular hemorrhage represents an indication for vitrectomy within one month of its onset.
Subject(s)
Diabetic Retinopathy/complications , Eye Diseases/surgery , Retinal Hemorrhage/surgery , Vitrectomy , Adolescent , Adult , Diabetic Retinopathy/etiology , Eye Diseases/etiology , Eye Diseases/pathology , Eye Diseases/physiopathology , Female , Fundus Oculi , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neovascularization, Pathologic/etiology , Optic Disk/blood supply , Retinal Hemorrhage/pathology , Retinal Hemorrhage/physiopathology , Visual AcuityABSTRACT
The results of primary vitrectomy for the complications of proliferative diabetic retinopathy were explored in 131 eyes of 105 patients. A minimum of 6 months' follow-up was obtained. The primary indications for surgery were persistent vitreous hemorrhage (in 66% of the eyes) and progressive tractional macular detachment (in 31%). Technical (surgical) success (clearing of the ocular media or relief of macular traction, or both) was achieved by the time of the last examination in 69% of the eyes; it was achieved in 70% of those with persistent vitreous hemorrhage and in 68% of those with tractional macular detachment. Visual improvement was observed in 55% of all the eyes.
