title: The incidence of unexplained visual loss following removal of silicone oil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the incidence and clinical features of unexpected visual loss after removal of silicone oil (ROSO).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cross-sectional observational study of 421 consecutive eyes, which underwent silicone oil removal at one institution over a 2-year period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen (3.3%) patients, (12 male, mean age of 53.1 years) suffered unexplained visual loss. In these eyes, the mean duration of silicone oil fill was 141 days (range 76-218). The mean loss of visual acuity was 3.7 (range 2-6) Snellen lines (SL) at 1 month, 3.5 (2-6) SL at 3 months and 2.91 (0-6) SL at 6 months. The change from preoperative visual acuity was statistically significant at all visits (P=0.02). Subgroup analysis of 20 fovea-sparing giant retinal tear (GRT) detachments, observed 10 (50%) cases of visual loss after ROSO. Electrodiagnostic testing suggested predominantly macular dysfunction, with optic nerve involvement in one case. Five of the 14 cases had variable recovery of vision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a 3.3% overall incidence of visual loss following ROSO with a high rate (50%) observed in maculae on GRT detachments. Although recovery of visual acuity is seen in a minority of cases, visual loss after ROSO remains a serious and unexplained concern for vitreoretinal surgeons.
authors.affiliation: Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.|Fundación Oftalmológica Los Andes, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moya
authors.affiliation: Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.affiliation: Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.affiliation: Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsouris
authors.affiliation: Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.|Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Charteris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D058450:Endotamponade; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000601:surgery; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012827:Silicone Oils; D013396:Suction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014822:Vitreous Body
chemical_list: D012827:Silicone Oils