Abstract
Purpose::
To determine visual outcomes of pars plana vitrectomy surgery for non clearing vitreous hemorrhages based on underlying etiology and duration of hemorrhage.
Methods::
This was a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy for non clearing vitreous hemorrhage at the University of Chicago since August 2005. All surgeries were done by a single surgeon (S.H.). All eyes had at least one month of follow up after surgery. Visual outcomes were categorized according to underlying etiology as well as duration of vitreous hemorrhage.
Results::
Outcomes from surgery on 20 eyes in 18 patients were examined. Overall, the mean duration of vitreous hemorrhage was 5.2 months. The mean improvement in visual acuity was 2.6 lines. There was no correlation between duration of vitreous hemorrhage and number of lines of visual acuity gained (correlation coefficient -0.18). Underlying etiologies of vitreous hemorrhages were as follows: 15 eyes from proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 1 eye from proliferative sickle cell retinopathy, 1 eye from branch retinal artery occlusion, 1 eye from choroidal rupture, 1 eye from hemiretinal vein occlusion, 1 eye from branch retinal vein occlusion. The eye with sickle cell retinopathy improved from 3/200 to 20/25. The eye with BRAO decreased from LP to NLP after developing neovascular glaucoma. The eye with choroidal rupture improved from LP to 20/60. The eye with HRVO improved from 20/80 to 40/40. The eye with BRVO remained stable at 20/50.
Conclusions::
Modern pars plana vitrectomy surgery for non clearing vitreous hemorrhage has a favorable visual outcome. We found no statistically significant correlation between the duration of vitreous hemorrhage and recovery of vision after surgery. Our study also suggests that patients who undergo vitrectomy for vitreous hemorrhage due to non-diabetic etiologies can do well as long as there are no other serious comorbid conditions such as neovascular glaucoma.
Keywords: vitreoretinal surgery • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: outcomes/complications • diabetic retinopathy