title: Pars plana vitrectomy for persistent, visually significant vitreous opacities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of vitrectomy in patients with persistent, visually disabling vitreous opacities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six consecutive eyes of five men (age 58-66 years) with pseudophakia or aphakia and vitreous opacities resulting in visual symptoms for more than 1 year that underwent vitrectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Postoperative questionnaires regarding functional performance and quality-of-life issues were completed by the participants to assess subjective patient satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperative Snellen visual acuity was improved or equal to preoperative acuity in all cases (8-44 month follow-up) and there were no surgical complications. All patients expressed high satisfaction with overall visual function. Analysis of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-39 indicated that general vision, near activities, distance activities, mental health, role difficulties, and peripheral vision were significantly improved (P < 0.05) following surgical intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitrectomy may be indicated in a select group of patients with visually disabling vitreous floaters, although objective assessment of visual dysfunction from vitreous floaters requires further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Schiff
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mandava
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Barile
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001036:Aphakia, Postcataract / Q000150:complications; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*