Silicone oil opacification without emulsification: a rare complication following pars plana vitrectomy

TL;DR

A young patient experienced vision loss due to silicone oil opacification after retinal surgery, with no emulsification observed.

Contribution

This case highlights a rare post-surgical complication involving silicone oil opacification without emulsification.

Findings

Silicone oil in the eye became opaque without emulsifying over four years.

FTIR, TGA, and mass spectrometry were used to analyze the opacified oil sample.

The cause of opacification was determined through chemical analysis.

Abstract

We report a case of a young patient in his mid-20s who underwent retinal detachment surgery four years before. The patient was lost to follow-up for 4 years. At present, the patient presented to our centre with loss of vision in the operated eye. Examination revealed an oil-filled globe with no signs of oil emulsification. Instead, the oil had lost its transparency and had become opacified. The oil sample was removed and subjected to Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and mass spectrometry analysis to ascertain the cause of oil opacification.

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