ilicone oil–aociated optic nerve degeneration

PURPOE: To report the frequency and extent of ilicone oil migration into the optic nerve during ilicone oil endotamponade. METHOD: Hitopathologic analyi of 74 eye enucleated after ilicone oil endotamponade. REULT: In 14 of 74 enucleated eye (24%), optically empty vacuole regarded a ilicone oil vacuole were oberved in the retrolaminar optic nerve. In three eye, ilicone oil in the optic nerve wa urrounded by a granulomatou inflammatory reaction. In erial cro ection, the vacuole extended up to the line of urgical tranection (up to 9 mm) of the optic nerve and contituted up to 40% of the total cro-ectional area. CONCLUION: After ilicone oil endotamponade, ilicone oil may replace a coniderable amount of tiue of the retrolaminar optic nerve. A granulomatou inflammatory reaction urrounding ilicone oil may add to optic nerve damage