Visual Outcomes and Refractive Status after Combined Silicone Oil Removal/Cataract Surgery with Intraocular Lens Implantation

To evaluate refractive status and identify predictors of surgical success following a combined silicone oil removal/cataract surgery with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation procedure.
In this single‑armed, retrospective study, we reviewed patients who underwent vitreoretinal surgery followed by a combined silicone oil removal/cataract surgery procedure between 2009 and 2013.
Preoperative data included patient demographics, refractive status, IOL power, and axial length (measured with the IOL Master). Postoperative data were obtained from the 8‑week follow‑up visit and from the last follow‑up visit attended that included refractive error (RE) evaluation (e.g., myopic, hyperopic, and astigmatic). Associations between variables and refractive status were examined. Blindness was defined as a best‑corrected visual acuity (BCVA) worse than 3/60.
Nighty‑eight eyes were ultimately included in analyses. Following surgery, 37.0% of eyes achieved BCVA better than 6/18. The incidence of blindness (BCVA worse than 3/60) was reduced from 47.0% before surgery to 17.3% after surgery. Additionally, 33.7% of eyes did not require refractive correction. Forty‑two percent of eyes were under‑corrected (>0.5 D hyperopia) following surgery. Age, gender, silicone oil viscosity, axial length, IOL type, initial vitreoretinal pathology, surgeon, and IOL calculation formula were not significantly associated with surgical outcomes (all P > 0.05).
A combined silicone oil removal/cataract surgery with IOL implantation procedure restored functional vision in approximately one‑third of cases. However, nearly half of patients were under‑corrected. Unfortunately, we did not identify any factors that predicted surgical success.