Pars plana vitrectomy in the management of retinal detachments associated with degenerative retinoschisis

Abstract

Pars plana vitrectomy and gas-fluid exchange were used to successfully reattach eyes of 12 patients who had symptomatic retinoschisis retinal detachments (RDs) associated with large or posterior outer-layer holes. Visual acuity improved postoperatively in seven (58%) eyes, was unchanged in two (17%) eyes, and decreased in three (25%) eyes. Loss of vision was secondary to a mild posterior subcapsular cataract in one eye and to epiretinal membranes in the other two. In two other eyes, cataracts developed that subsequently required an extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC IOL) implantation with 20/20 visual acuity in both eyes after cataract surgery. All eyes with a macula-involved RD stabilized or improved in visual acuity. Surgical indications, techniques, and results in the management of these retinoschisis RDs are discussed.