Results of vitreous surgery for posterior complications of chronic uveitis.

To determine surgical results and predictive factors of final visual acuity, a total of 30 eyes in 30 uveitis patients who underwent vitreous surgery including pars plana vitrectomy were followed for at least 6 months and various preoperative factors and postoperative results were analyzed. Our surgical indications were vitreous opacity, traction retinal detachment, combined rhegmatogenous-traction detachment. Preoperatively detached retina was finally reattached in 15 (83.3%) of 18 eyes. Final visual acuity improved in 19 (63.3%) of 30 eyes, but decreased in 3 eyes compared with the initial acuity. Cystoid macular edema was the main cause of poor visual acuity after surgery. Eyes with good final visual acuity showed relatively normal electroretinograms before surgery, but the relationship between them was not statistically significant. Duration of postoperative inflammation affected final visual acuity significantly. These results suggest that chronic uveitis patients with vitreoretinal complications can be managed by vitreous surgery with good anatomic and functional results.