Corneal epithelial defects following vitrectomy surgery using hand-held, sew-on, and noncontact viewing lenses

To compare the incidence of corneal epithelial defects following vitrectomy surgery with Charles hand-held infusion lenses, Landers sew-on lenses, and the Oculus BIOM noncontact lens system.

We performed a retrospective chart review of 234 patients who underwent initial vitrectomy surgery by one surgeon. We determined the presence and duration of postoperative epithelial defects and identified predisposing factors.

There were more corneal epithelial defects noted postoperatively in eyes with hand-held infusion lenses (23.8%) compared with eyes with sew-on lenses (8.6%; P = 0.010) and eyes with noncontact lenses (0%; P < 0.001). There were also more defects in sew-on versus noncontact lenses (P = 0.014). Diabetic patients had more postoperative epithelial defects with hand-held infusion lenses (32.1 %) than with sew-on lenses (8.8%; P = 0.011) or with noncontact lenses (0%; P < 0.001). The average operative time for patients with epithelial defects (169 minutes) was longer than for patients without defects (117 minutes) (P < 0.001). The risk of these defects remained significant after controlling for both length of surgery and diabetes status.

Corneal epithelial defects were more common after vitrectomy surgery using hand-held infusion lenses than after surgery using sew-on lenses and did not occur with the noncontact lens system. In addition, reducing the operative time may independently reduce the risk of epithelial defects, regardless of lens type.