THE TIME INTERVAL POST-VITRECTOMY CATARACTS : A COMPARISON BETWEEN SILICONE OIL AND BALANCED SALT SOLUTION TAMPONADE

Abstract

Introduction: To investigate the comparison of time interval of cataracts following vitrectomy using silicone oil (SO) and balanced salt solution (BSS), and the differences between time interval of cataracts following vitrectomy using different SO viscosities.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study involving 94 medical records of phakic patients who had undergonevitrectomy in a tertiary hospital from October 2018 to December 2022. Data on diagnosis before vitrectomy, type of vitreous substitutes, viscosity of SO, lens opacity at 3, 6, and 12 months, and time interval for post-vitrectomycataracts were described and then analyzed using a univariate test, followed by a comparative bivariate test using the chi-square test.

Result: Post-vitrectomy cataracts occurred in 90.4% of patients with SO tamponade, significantly higher than52.4% with BSS (p = 0.000). In patients with SO, the incidence of post-vitrectomy cataracts was most common at 12 months (41%), followed by 6 months (21%), >12 months (21%), and 3 months (17%). In the BSS group,cataracts were mostly observed at 3 months (36%) and 6 months (36%). Cataract incidence was similar between low- and high-viscosity SO (90.9% vs. 89.1%, p = 0.735)

Conclusion: Post-vitrectomy cataract formation occurs more frequently in eyes treated with SO tamponade compared to BSS, with the highest incidence observed around the 12th month after vitrectomy. However, no significant difference in cataract occurrence has been observed among different SO viscosities