Laser flare photometry for identification of high-risk patients for proliferative vitreoretinopathy

Abstract

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is acomplication of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment and trauma, which occurs in approximately 10% following vitreoretinal surgery. The visual prognosis for established PVR is poor and so far there is no established conservative treatment for PVR. In the currently recruiting PRIVENT trial the aim is to find a prophylactic treatment possibility for PVR. The PRIVENT study examines the influence of intraoperative adjuvant pharmacotherapy on reducing the incidence of PVR; however, this requires the identification of eyes with increased risk for PVR. Laser flare photometry is asimple method to predict the individual risk for PVR. It is anon-invasive technique that objectifies the Tyndall effect. Various laser flare meter devices are available on the market. In previous studies it could be shown that laser flare photometry can predict the development of PVR in eyes with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with asensitivity of 80%. The identification of these high-risk eyes for PVR could be the first step towards solving the problem of PVR.