Effects of vitrectomy and phakectomy on the drainage of the vitreous compartment.

Plastic microspheres (7-10 micrometers in diameter), 51Cr-labeled autologous red blood cells (RBC), and 125I-tagged homologous albumin were injected into the vitreous space of vitrectomized phakic and aphakic rabbits. The drainage into the aqueous compartments and blood circulation was assessed. In phakic eyes, there was practically no movement of microspheres and RBC into the anterior chamber over a period of 19 days. In aphakia, vitreous clearance improved but only 1%-3% of labeled RBC appeared in the blood circulation during the first 3-4 days. About 40%-70% of the 125I-albumin injected left the eye within 24 h, as compared to 15%-25% in phakic rabbits. Thus, a vitrectomy in phakic eyes does not lead to anterior drainage of intact RBC and even after combined vitrectomy and phakectomy, the drainage of RBC is not complete; the elimination of albumin is greatly enhanced after vitrectomy.