Fourier transform infrared and 1h nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic findings of silicone oil removed from eyes and the relationship of emulsification with retinotomy and glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether structural changes occur in silicone oil that has been left in the eye for different periods and to research the relationship of emulsification with the time during which silicone oil is left in the eye, glaucoma, and wide relaxing retinotomy.

METHODS

Samples of silicone oil were randomly removed from the eyes of 22 patients. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and spectroscopy were used to identify any changes in the silicone oil. The relationship between spectroscopically determined emulsification with time spent in the eye, glaucoma, and wide relaxing retinotomy was investigated statistically.

RESULTS

GPC revealed that no change was found in the 1,000-centistoke silicone oil model after it had been removed from the eye. Spectroscopy identified absorption peaks belonging to water in addition to those belonging to the functional groups. The relationships between emulsification and time spent in the eye and glaucoma were found to be statistically insignificant, while that between emulsification and wide relaxing retinotomy was statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Intravitreally applied silicone oil undergoes no structural change. Wide relaxing retinotomy constitutes a risk factor for silicone oil emulsification, which can occur earlier than expected and before it can be observed clinically.