title: Safety of vitrectomy for floaters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the risks of vitrectomy for the removal of primary and secondary vitreous opacities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, nonrandomized, interventional case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the results of 116 consecutive cases of vitrectomy for vitreous floaters. Eighty-six cases were primary and 30 cases were secondary floaters. Main outcome measures were the incidence of iatrogenic retinal breaks and postoperative rhegmatogenous retinal detachments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found iatrogenic retinal breaks in 16.4% of operations. There was no statistically significant difference in risk between cases of primary and secondary floaters. Intraoperative posterior vitreous detachment induction was found to increase significantly the risk of breaks. Retinal detachment occurred in 3 cases (2.5%), all after operations for primary floaters. One case of complicated retinal detachment ended with a low visual acuity of hand movements. Cataract occurred in 50% of phakic cases. Transient postoperative hypotony was found after 5.2% of our operations, and transient postoperative high intraocular pressure was encountered in 7.8%. An intraoperative choroidal hemorrhage occurred in 1 case, which resolved spontaneously. The mean visual acuity improved from 0.20 to 0.13 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution units.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The risk profile of vitrectomy for floaters is comparable with that of vitrectomy for other elective indications. Retinal breaks are a common finding during surgery and treatment of these breaks is crucial for the prevention of postoperative retinal detachment. Patients considering surgery for floaters should be informed specifically about the risks involved.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. h.tan@amc.uva.nl
authors: H Stevie
authors: HS
authors: Tan
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Mura
authors: Sarit Y
authors: SY
authors: Lesnik Oberstein
authors: Heico M
authors: HM
authors: Bijl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D015994:Incidence; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000601:surgery*