Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with silicone oil implantation (SOI) was performed for advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in 110 eyes of 98 diabetic patients. In 77 eyes (70%) it was a primary SOI as part of the initial operation; in 33 eyes (30%) it was a secondary SOI in reoperations. Indications for SOI were traction retinal detachment of the posterior pole, combined traction and rhegmatogenous detachment, vitreous haemorrhage with florid vascularised fibrous proliferations, and recurrent vitreous haemorrhage after PPV. The patients were followed up for 24 to 72 months, with a mean of 53 months. At the end of follow-up, anatomical success was achieved in 63 eyes (57%), and functional success with visual acuity 0.01 and better in 35 eyes (32%). Functional failures were caused by retinal redetachment in 47 eyes (43%), by secondary glaucoma in 10 eyes (9%), retinal ischemia in 15 eyes (13%) and keratopathy in three eyes (3%). The functional success rate decreased with follow-up from 67% after six months to 50% by 60 months after SOI. Silicone oil bubble in the anterior chamber, rubeosis iridis, cataract, and glaucoma were the most frequent postoperative complications. PPV with SOI was highly effective in many serious complications of advanced PDR. Functional success was mostly lasting and markedly improved the quality of life of these patients.

PPV with SOI proved highly effective in GT. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy was the main cause of surgical failure and a frequent obstacle to silicone oil removal. The risks of redetachment have to be evaluated especially carefully when dealing with the only eye.

The study is designed to determine the relationship between the progress of the wet form of age-related macular degeneration and the activity of the visual cortex examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Ten patients with the wet form of age-related macular degeneration (9 female and 1 male) with a mean age of 74.7 years (58-85 years) at various stages of bilateral involvement of the disease were included. Patients did not suffer from any other ocular nor neurological disease. All the patients underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging examinations with stimulation of both eyes using a black-and-white checkerboard of size 25.8 Â 16.2 degrees. The group was compared with a group of healthy subjects with an average age of 54.1 years (45-65 years). For statistical evaluation, the Mann-Whitney U test was used. Comparing the extent of visual cortex activations we found a statistically significant difference between both the groups (p = 0.0247). However, the dependence of functional magnetic resonance imaging activity on visual acuity was not statistically significant (p = 0.223). We conclude that in patients with the wet form of age-related macular degeneration, lower functional magnetic resonance imaging activity of the visual cortex was found compared with the control group of healthy subjects. Dependence of functional magnetic resonance imaging activity on visual acuity was not statistically significant.

Indications and the long-term results of PPV in children were comparable with those in the adult. By far the most frequent indications were injuries and their complications. In complicated RD, a radical approach with primary SOI and later silicone oil removal proved useful. In children, with their long life expectancy, timely removal of silicone oil is vital for maintaining the function of the eye.

The management of 158 posterior segment intraocular foreign bodies (IOFB) was retrospectively analyzed: transscleral magnet extraction via the pars plana was used for 40 magnetic IOFB, transscleral extraction via the IOFB bed for 35 magnetic and 4 non-magnetic IOFB, pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for 44 magnetic and 32 non-magnetic IOFB, and open-sky vitrectomy for 3 non-magnetic IOFB. Final visual acuity of 0.02 and better was achieved in 104 out of 119 magnetic IOFB (87%) and 24 out of 39 non-magnetic IOFB (62%), and final visual acuity 0.05 and better in 79 magnetic IOFB (66%) and 17 non-magnetic IOFB (44%). Transscleral extraction via the IOFB bed under ophthalmoscopic control and IOFB removal by PPV proved to be the operations of choice for an increasing number of IOFB. For magnetic IOFB, these techniques yielded better final functional results than transscleral magnet extraction via the pars plana. Final visual acuity did not depend on the interval between injury and IOFB removal, and with regard to the risk of endophthalmitis, IOFB need not be considered an absolute indication for immediate intervention. IOFB size up to 5 mm2 and initial visual acuity of 0.5 and better were significant positive factors for both magnetic and non-magnetic IOFB.