Pars plasma vitrectomy in the management of the Irvine-Gass syndrome

Twelve eyes of 10 patients with type I Irvine-Gass syndrome underwent pars plana vitrectomy after cystoid macular edema had been present a mean of 13 months and showed no evidence of resolving spontaneously or, in some cases, of responding to laser photocoagulation or steroid therapy. The disorder appears to resolve spontaneously in an average of 16 months. Following vitrectomy the edema resolved clinically in 10 of the 12 eyes, in an average of 3.7 months, and the visual acuity improved significantly in 8 of the 12 eyes--in five instances from legal blindness to 20/50 or better. The results suggest that pars plana vitrectomy is of value in the treatment of this disorder.