This 76YO male presented with a vague history of recent vision loss in his right eye. Vision was counting fingers.
Optos color RGB imaging shows a total rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with diffuse posterior proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). The detachment was successfully repaired with vitrectomy and silicone oil.
Learning Points:
PVR, which consists of cellular membranes growing on either retinal surface, develops in about 5-10% of RRD. The membranes contract and foreshorten the retina, likely as an aberrant wound-healing response.
There are no proven pharmacologic therapies to prevent or treat PVR. These complex detachments can be managed with vitrectomy and membrane peeling, retinectomy, scleral buckling, and silicone oil. However, PVR remains the main cause for ultimate retinal reattachment surgical failure.
See Garweg et al Surv Ophthalmol 2013;48:321-329 for a good review of PVR pathophysiology.
