A recent study looked at vitrectomy performed after cataract surgery on patients who had cystoid macular edema (CME). Other treatments had failed to prevent or treat the condition.

Researchers retrospectively analyzed 23 consecutive eyes of 23 patients with pseudophakic CME confirmed on fluorescein angiography. All patients had been unresponsive to treatment. Pars plana vitrectomy was performed using standard techniques. Any vitreous adhesions to the iris, intraocular lens or both were lysed.

The vitreous adhered to the iris or intraocular lens in 52.2% of eyes and was present in the anterior chamber without evidence of adhesions in 30.4%. Preoperative median best corrected visual acuity (BVA) was 20/200; postoperatively, it was 20/60.

Final BVA improved by a mean of 3.3 Snellen lines with a median percent change of 70%. CME in all 23 eyes analyzed had resolved postvitrectomy by biomicroscopic examination in a mean period of 3.3 months.