Vitrectomy After Intracapsular Cataract Extraction in Diabetic Sequelae

Pars plana vitrectomy was performed on 40 diabetic eyes with opacified vitreous due to preretinal haemorrhages and fibrovascular proliferations. Cataractous lenses were present in all cases and were removed by intracapsular extractions 4–8 weeks prior to vitrectomy. Preoperative visual acuity ranged from light projection to 1/60. Postoperatively, vision improved in 26 (65%) eyes, remained unchanged in 5 (12.5%), and deteriorated in 9 (22.5%) during a follow‐up time of 5–18 months (mean 8 months). In 19 (48%) eyes a visual acuity ranging from 0.1‐0.9 was achieved. In 31 eyes that improved or remained unchanged, iris neovascularization developed in 2 (6%) and longstanding increase of intraocular pressure in 9 (29%). Visual failures were mainly due to incomplete removal of preretinal proliferations and retinal detachment, and neovascular glaucoma developed in 5 of the 9 eyes. In 30 (75%) eyes the anatomical status at the vitreo‐retinal junction improved considerably when the preretinal tissue causing retinal traction was excised, and the proliferative disease reverted into a background retinopathy.