Abstract
Purpose The advent of silicone oil tamponade has resulted in improved success rates in complicated retinal detachment surgery. Its use, however, can induce cataract formation in phakic eyes. In selected patients, removal of silicone oil can be combined with phacoemulsification of the cataract and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, thus avoiding a further operation. This, however, poses a problem when trying to decide the power of IOL to be used, since the echographically measured axial length (AL) of an eye is greater in the presence of silicone oil. We performed ultrasound examination in the presence of silicone oil of viscosity 1300 centistokes, in order to determine whether the measured AL varied from the true AL by a constant factor.
Methods The ALs of 7 phakic eyes were measured by ?-mode echography, with and without silicone oil of viscosity 1300 centistokes in the posterior segment. The retina was attached in all cases. The control group consisted of 6 phakic eyes with attached retinae undergoing vitrectomy without the use of silicone oil. The ALs in the control group were measured before and after vitrectomy.
Results The mean ratio of true AL to measured AL in the presence of silicone oil was 0.71 (standard deviation 0.01; range 0.70-0.73; median 0.71) in the 7 eyes in this study. In the control group, vitrectomy appeared to have no significant effect on AL.
Conclusions We have established a constant which corrects for the apparent increase in AL induced by silicone oil of viscosity 1300 centistokes. This conversion factor, when used in existing biometry formulae (SRK/T), allows estimation of the power of IOL required in eyes undergoing combined cataract extraction, removal of silicone oil and lens implantation.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Sell CN, McCuen BW II, Landers MB III, Machemer R . Long-term results of successful vitrectomy with silicone oil for advanced oil for advanced PVR. Am J Ophthalmol 1987;103:24–8.
Gonvers M . Temporary silicone oil tamponade in the management of retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Am I Ophthalmol 1985;100:239–45.
McCartney DL, Miller KM, Stark WJ, Guyton DL, Michels RG . Intraocular lens style and refraction in eyes treated with silicone oil. Arch Ophthalmol 1987;105:1385–7.
Grey RHB, Leaver PK . Silicone oil in treatment of massive preretinal retraction. I. Results in 105 eyes. Br J Ophthalmol 1979;63:355–60.
Leaver PK, Grey RHB, Garner A . Silicone oil injection in the treatment of massive preretinal retraction. II. Late complications in 93 eyes. Br J Ophthalmol 1979;63:361–7.
Jonas JB, Budde WM, Panda-Jonas S . Cataract surgery combined with transpupillary silicone oil removal through planned posterior capsulotomy. Ophthalmology 1998;105:1234–8.
Meldrum ML, Aaberg TM, Patel A, Davis J . Cataract extraction after silicone oil repair of retinal detachments due to necrotizing retinitis. Arch Ophthalmol 1996;114:885–92.
Hoffer KJ . Ultrasound velocities for axial eye length measurement. J Cataract Refract Surg 1994;20:554–62.
McLeod D, Hillman J, Restori M . Ultrasound. Trans Ophthalmol Soc UK 1981;101:137–45.
Clemens S, Kroll P, Rochels R . Ultrasonic findings after treatment of retinal detachment by intravitreal silicone instillation. Am J Ophthalmol 1984;98:369–73.
Shugar JK, deJuan E Jr, McCuen BW II, Tiedeman J, Landers MR III, Machemer R . Ultrasonic examination of the silicone-filled eye: theoretical and practical considerations. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 1986;224:361–7.
Retzlaff JA, Sanders DR, Kraff MC . Development of the SRK/T intraocular lens power calculation formula. J Cataract Refract Surg 1990;16:333–40.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Presented in part at the British and Eire Association of Vitreoretinal Surgeons, Birmingham, October 1997
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Murray, D., Potamitis, T., Good, P. et al. Biometry of the silicone oil-filled eye. Eye 13, 319–324 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1999.82
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1999.82
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
A comparative study between 10-MHz and 15-MHz ultrasound probes for retinal evaluation in silicone-oil-filled globes
Eye (2023)
-
Accuracy and reliability of IOL master and A-scan immersion biometry in silicone oil-filled eyes
Eye (2012)
-
Biometry of the silicone oil-filled eye: II
Eye (2002)
-
Letter
Eye (2000)
-
Letter
Eye (2000)