Background: Functional results, risk factors and complications of vitrectomy for diabetic retinopathy were studied to improve our estimation for benefits and risks of vitreous surgery with current techniques.
Materials and methods: The course of 389 consecutive eyes, who had undergone vitreous surgery for complications of diabetic retinopathy within a four year period, was retrospectively reviewed. The minimum follow-up was 6 months, the median 26 months. Risk factors were studied using multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Results: Six months postoperatively 25% of the eyes had a visual acuity of 20/60 or better, a vision of less than 5/200 was found in 25% of the eyes. The most important risk factors were detachment of the macula and iris rubeosis. Only 16% of the eyes with tractional detachment of the macula had a postoperative vision of 20/200 or better, although in 86% the macula was anatomically successfully reattached. Postoperative retinal detachment was observed in 18% of all eyes. The incidence of this serious complication was only 5% after surgery for vitreous hemorrhage, but 54% after vitrectomy for tractional detachment of the macula.
Conclusions: In eyes with advanced stages of long-standing tractional detachment of the macula, the functional prognosis is very poor due to the underlying microvascular disease. In less advanced stages with vitreous hemorrhage and flat retina the risk of vitreous surgery is low.