[Secondary glaucoma after silicone oil surgery]

In spite of advances in surgical technique and the development of purified silicone oils, secondary glaucoma still develops in 10-20% of cases following silicone oil surgery. In the first part of this study it is shown by life-table analysis that factors such as early lens removal, inferior iridectomy, early silicone removal or the use of purified silicone oil have little or no influence on the development of glaucoma. In the second part an attempt is made to pinpoint possible causes of secondary glaucoma by re-examining all cases in which elevated intraocular pressure developed some time after silicone oil surgery. It was found that a multitude of factors (e.g., inflammation, angle-block, anterior peripheral synechiae and emulsification) were involved in the pathogenesis of temporary or persistent secondary glaucomas. In most cases pre-existing pathology was found to be responsible rather than the silicone oil itself. The majority of the cases in which the silicone oil caused secondary glaucoma by emulsification responded well to medication alone or removal of the silicone oil.