Pneumatic Vitreolysis With Intravitreal Air for Focal Vitreomacular Traction

Mark E Seamone; Uriel Rubin; Parampal S Grewal; Mark Greve

doi:10.1177/2474126420962649

Pneumatic Vitreolysis With Intravitreal Air for Focal Vitreomacular Traction

J Vitreoretin Dis. 2020 Nov 6;5(4):348-353. doi: 10.1177/2474126420962649. eCollection 2021 Jul-Aug.

Authors

Mark E Seamone¹, Uriel Rubin¹, Parampal S Grewal¹, Mark Greve¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine whether pneumatic vitreolysis with intravitreal air is effective for focal vitreomacular traction (VMT).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective consecutive case series of 20 eyes from 19 individuals with focal VMT who underwent pneumatic vitreolysis with intravitreal air (January 2017 to November 2018). We analyzed patients via spectral-domain optical coherence tomography before intravitreal air injection and at 1 month. The primary outcome measure was release of VMT.

Results: We observed release of VMT in 55% of individuals. An analysis limited to phakic eyes demonstrated release of VMT in 69%, and 65% developed improved best-corrected visual acuity. Individuals with persistent VMT and visual improvement had a significant reduction in angle of vitreoretinal insertion (P < .01), area under VMT (P < .05), and subfoveal cyst area (P < .05).

Conclusions: Intravitreal air is an effective treatment for focal VMT. In individuals with persistent VMT, visual-acuity improvement was associated with a reduction in overall VMT.

Keywords: intravitreal air; pneumatic vitreolysis; vitreomacular traction.

Publication types

Case Reports