New modalities for the treatment of diabetic eye complications have emerged in the past decade. Nevertheless, many severe diabetic retinopathy complications can only be treated with vitreoretinal surgery. Technological advances in pars plana vitrectomy have expanded the gamut of pathologies that can be successfully treated with surgery. The most common pathologies managed surgically include vitreous opacities and traction retinal detachment. The indications, surgical objectives, adjunctive pharmacotherapy, microincisional surgical techniques, and outcomes of diabetic vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic tractional retinal detachment will be discussed. With the availability of new microincisional vitrectomy technology, wide angle microscope viewing systems, and pharmacologic agents, vitrectomy can improve visual acuity and achieve long-term anatomic stability in eyes with severe complications from proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Keywords: Diabetic retinopathy; Traction retinal detachment; Vitrectomy; Vitreous hemorrhage.