Treatment of Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous

Thirty-two patients with persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous were examined by the author over a 10-year period. Two patients have been followed with conservative management. Thirty patients were treated with surgery involving lensectomy with anterior vitrectomy being performed as the minimal treatment, with a few patients being treated with a full vitrectomy and dissection of the PHPV stalk from the posterior lens surface to the retina. The only eyes which obtained a good visual result were those eyes which contained only the anterior PHPV without the posterior segment being involved. While surgery on the posterior segment was anatomically successful, poor visual results were obtained due to retinal abnormalities. No eye has been removed. Five eyes have useful vision. Early treatment is advised in order to prevent underdevelopment of the orbit secondary to early enucleation as well as to treat amblyopia in those visually salvageable eyes.