Changes in corneal endothelium after treatment of retinal detachment with intraocular silicone oil

Keratopathy represents one of the most frequent late complications in eyes with complicated retinal detachment treated with intraocular silicone oil. Corneal examinations including endothelial specular photography were done on 18 silicone treated eyes, 16 of which were aphakic. In addition to widespread silicone oil endothelial contact in 2 eyes, a bubble or droplets of silicone oil were observed in the anterior chamber in 8 eyes. The mean endothelial cell density was lower in the silicone eyes (2076 +/- 196 cells/mm2) as compared to the control fellow eyes (2738 +/- 86 cells/mm2) (P = 0.004). In eyes with silicone oil in the anterior chamber the endothelial cell density was significantly decreased (1857 +/- 232 cells/mm2) (P = 0.005). Obvious endothelial degeneration was noticed when silicone oil had been in the eye for more than a year. Also small droplets of oil with transient contact contributed to its development.