Pars plana vitrectomy for aphakic cystoid macular edema.

The authors used a combined limbal and pars plana vitrectomy approach to treat 17 consecutive eyes (16 patients) with chronic aphakic cystoid macular edema associated with vitreous incarceration in the cataract wound. Criteria for surgery included: decreased visual acuity to 20/50 or worse; cystoid macular edema confirmed by fluorescein angiography; persistent edema of 6 months or longer; and visible vitreous incarceration in the limbal wound. The vitreous was successfully removed from the limbal wound in 16 of 17 eyes. Postoperatively, vision improved by two lines or more in 11 eyes (65%). The surgical technique is described.