Analysis of the effect of surgical management on vitreomacular traction syndrome

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of vitreous surgery for the patients with vitreomacular traction syndrome. The 16 consecutive patients (16 eyes) who underwent vitrectomy for vitreomacular traction syndrome during July 1998 and January 2002 were retrospectively analyzed. Vitreomacular traction was released successfully after vitrectomy, a better visual acuity was obtained in 10 eyes, the number of patients whose visual acuity was below 0.1 was increased from 6 to 8. In 5 cases with the visual acuity was 0.02 or worse before surgery, however their visual acuity was improved in some degree. Complications of vitreous surgery included iatrogenic macular hole (2 eyes), postoperative cataract in (1 eye), partial-thickness macular hole (1 eye), and macular pucker (1 eye), both of last two complications was demonstrated three months later. Pars plana vitrectomy can relieve macular traction, improve visual acuity and prevent a further decease of visual acuity.