Transscleral drainage of subretinal/suprachoroidal silicone oil

Silicone oil migration into the subretinal space following vitreoretinal surgery may occur in complex cases of retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy. This complication prevents achievement of the primary goal (ie, to attach the retina) and fails to provide the internal tamponade, leading to a permanent decrease in visual acuity. Successful and complete removal of the subretinal oil is a challenge. Internal drainage as described earlier in the literature advocates a large relaxing retinotomy. The authors describe two similar cases, one with retinal detachment secondary to type II iridochoroidal coloboma wherein the oil had passed into the subretinal space and the other with diabetes mellitus and retinal detachment with oil in the suprachoroidal space. In both cases, silicone oil was removed successfully through a transscleral approach. The transscleral approach for removal of subretinal/suprachoroidal oil appears to be relatively safe, less time-consuming, and effective.