[Intracorneal silicone oil deposits].

BACKGROUND

A patient with intraocular silicone oildeposits underwent paracentral corneal incision but the corneal sutures were never removed and 7 years later a perforating corneal transplantation was performed due to corneal opacification.

METHODS

The corneal button was fixed in 10% buffered paraformaldehyde, embedded in celloidin and sections 200 microns thick were cut and stained with van Gieson. Some of these sections were embedded in paraffin and 5 microns thick sections were cut.

RESULTS

Celloidin sections showed intrastromal silicone oil droplets located adjacent to defects in Descemets' membrane and corneal sutures but the endothelial cells contained no silicone oil droplets.

CONCLUSION

Silicone oil can penetrate the corneal stroma in cases of defects in Descemets' membrane.