Comparison of surgical outcomes in air versus silicone oil tamponade in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after 25G pars plana vitrectomy

AIM: To compare the efficacy of air versus silicone oil tamponade for management of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment(RRD)following 25G pars plana vitrectomy(PPV).METHODS: A prospective, randomized comparative study. 146 eyes from 146 patients who underwent 25G transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy to repair rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were performed. Totally 60 eyes used air tamponade but 86 eyes used silicone oil tamponade. The follow-up time ranged from 6-12mo. The best corrected visual acuity(LogMAR), intraocular pressure, retinal reattachment rate, intraoperative and postoperative complications were compared.RESULTS: One month after surgery, the mean BCVA was 0.45±0.5 in the air tamponade group and 0.78±0.65 in the silicone oil tamponade group, it were both evidently improved in comparison with before surgery, what's more, air tamponade had significantly better BCVA than those in the silicone oil tamponade(both P