Extending life expectancy is a human achievement. It does however entail problems. Ophthalmic treatments are widely recognized as having a low risk of general complications. A classic example is cataract surgery, considered to be one of the safest and most frequently performed surgical procedures in the world. However, advanced age brings with it risks that should be considered before surgery. Eye operations, as with procedures on other organs, are largely dependent on the quality of surgical tissues. Therefore, the elderly are at increased risk of complications. Improved general health and postoperative follow-up with the use of noninvasive technologies such as optical coherence tomography translate into lower intraoperative risk and better postoperative prognosis. In this review, we discuss the impact of general health on operational prognosis, therapeutic problems, and technical difficulties which a surgeon and anesthesiologist may encounter in the process. We also consider new technology and strategies specifically aimed at treating eye conditions in the elderly.

This is the first in vivo SD-OCT study describing the toxic effect of silicone oil endotamponade on GCL-IPL complex after PPV for RRD. The study confirmed that GCL-IPL complex value can be a predictive factor for assessing the final visual acuity. SD-OCT should be recommended as a clinical standard in the follow-up treatment of patients after PPV for RRD, especially with the use of silicone oil endotamponade.