Ciliary detachment after retinal detachment surgery.

Abstract

To evaluate the changes in the ciliary body and anterior choroid that occur after retinal detachment surgery. Thirty-three eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were evaluated before and after surgery. An ultrasound biomicroscope was used to observe the ciliary body and anterior choroid. Ciliary detachment was found to be present in 22 eyes (67%) on examination 5-14 days after surgery. The detachment was confined to the pars plana in nine eyes and involved the pars plicata and plana in 13 eyes. The whole circumference of the ciliary body was detached in seven of the 13 eyes. In three of these seven eyes, ophthalmoscopy showed the detachment to extend to the anterior choroid. Ciliary detachment lasted for at least 2 weeks and resolved within 2 months in 19 of 22 eyes. A shallow anterior chamber was observed after surgery in 12 eyes with severe ciliary detachment. Ciliary detachment was more likely to occur in eyes with a large retinal tear, large area of scleral buckling, or in eyes that were treated with solid silicone exoplant. Ciliary detachment occurred frequently after retinal detachment surgery using scleral buckling. It was temporary and usually did not result in untoward complications.