Objective: To evaluate a technique of autologous internal limiting membrane (ILM) fragment transplantation for the treatment of large, chronic, and/or refractory macular holes (MH). Design: This was a 6-month prospective interventional case series. Method: Ten eyes of 10 patients with MH underwent pars plana vitretomy (PPV) and ILM peeling followed by transplantation of an autologous ILM fragment to the MH. Six patients had primary MH with an internal diameter greater than 500 µm and a duration of more than 18 months, including 1 patient with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy previously treated with panretinal photocoagulation. Four eyes with MH had previously been submitted to PPV (i.e. 1 for retinal detachment and 3 to attempt to close large MH). One of the latter also displayed juxtapapillary choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration. The primary and secondary outcomes were MH closure and improvement of the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), respectively. Results: Complete MH closure was achieved in all cases. A statistically significant improvement in the average BCVA was observed after 6 months of follow-up (p = 0.018; paired t test). The BCVA improved in 8 eyes (80%), and in 6 of those eyes it improved by ≥15 letters. In 1 patient, the BCVA remained unchanged after the surgery, but the visual field reportedly improved. One patient experienced a slight worsening (0.16 logMAR). Two cases developed atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium despite MH closure and BCVA improvement. Conclusion: Treatment with autologous ILM fragment transplantation seems to be an efficient alternative for large, chronic, and refractory MH.

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ObjectiveTo evaluate anatomical and functional outcomes after silicone oil extraction in patients with retinal detachment and proliferative vitreoretinopathy in an eye care referral center in Joinville, SC, southern Brazil.MethodsRetrospective, noncomparative study of patients with retinal detachment and posterior proliferative vitreoretinopathy followed up after silicone oil removal. Prophylactic 360-degree peripheral laser photocoagulation was performed one to three months before silicone oil extraction. Patients with cataract underwent a combined clear corneal phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation in the same procedure. Anatomical outcomes were related to the duration of silicone oil tamponade and the surgical procedure performed. Functional outcomes were divided into three categories (stability, worsening, or improvement) according to visual acuity variation before the surgery and at the last follow-up visit.ResultsFifty-three patients were followed up for a mean period of 1,262 days.Fourteen eyes (26.4%) underwent cataract surgery combined with silicone oil extraction. Forty-eight eyes (90.5%) had attached retina at the last follow-up examination. Time of intraocular tamponade and association of phacoemulsification with silicone oil extraction were not considered as risk factors for retinal redetachment. Twenty-three cases (43.4%) showed visual acuity improvement, whereas 11 cases (20.8%) were stable and 19 cases (35.8%) showed visual acuity worsening. Five patients with attached retina had unexplained optic disc atrophy.ConclusionMost patients had good anatomical and visual outcomes after silicone oil extraction. Prophylactic 360-degree laser retinopexy may have led to favorable outcomes. Benefits of silicone oil extraction and the associated risks of complications due to a new surgical procedure must be carefully evaluated before surgical indication.

Mono- or combination therapy was effective for DME treatment. No synergistic effects were observed; however, triamcinolone alone or a drug combination may reduce the number of injections required when compared to bevacizumab alone. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2017;48:734-740.].