Correlation between quantity of silicone oil emulsified in the anterior chamber and high pressure in vitrectomized eyes.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the existence of any correlation between the quantity of silicone oil emulsified in the anterior chamber and the incidence of high intraocular pressure in vitrectomized eyes.


METHODS
Forty-nine eyes of 49 patients underwent vitrectomy with silicone oil injection as an adjuvant procedure. At the time of observation, between September 1999 and September 2000, 13 eyes (26.5%) were phakic; 23 eyes (47%) were pseudophakic; and 13 eyes (26.5%) were aphakic. Ultrasound biomicroscopy, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and gonioscopy were performed to quantify the presence of silicone oil emulsified in the anterior chamber.


RESULTS
The 13 phakic eyes did not have a high intraocular pressure. In 8 of the 13 eyes, ultrasound biomicroscopy detected only scarce oil emulsification in the anterior chamber (0.304 mm); in 5 of the 13 eyes, gonioscopy and ultrasound biomicroscopy did not detect anterior chamber oil emulsification. Fourteen of 23 pseudophakic eyes had a high intraocular pressure; of these, ultrasound biomicroscopy detected an abundant amount of anterior chamber oil emulsification (0.922 mm). Nine of 23 pseudophakic eyes did not have a high intraocular pressure; of these, ultrasound biomicroscopy detected little anterior chamber oil emulsification (0.209 mm). The 13 aphakic eyes had a high intraocular pressure; of these, ultrasound biomicroscopy detected an abundant amount of anterior chamber oil emulsification (0.795 mm). The coefficient of correlation for the measurements obtained was 0.98 (F = 62.3, P = 0.05; t = 11.1, P = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed a high correlation between the incidence of high intraocular pressure and the quantity of emulsified silicone oil in the anterior chamber.
Avitabile
Teresio
T
Department of Medical-Surgical, Section of Ophthalmology, University of Catania, Italy.
Bonfiglio
Vincenza
V
Cicero
Adelaide
A
Torrisi
Benedetto
B
Reibaldi
Alfredo
A
D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D001036:Aphakia, Postcataract / Q000150:complications; D004655:Emulsions; D006068:Gonioscopy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D019591:Pseudophakia / Q000150:complications; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000601:surgery; D012827:Silicone Oils; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014821:Vitrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018630:Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative / Q000601:surgery
D004655:Emulsions; D012827:Silicone Oils