Scanning laser polarimetry via intravitreal silicone oil

Purpose: To investigate whether scanning laser polarimetry, a promising new technique for early detection of glaucomatous nerve fiber loss, is a suitable method to measure retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in eyes with intravitreal silicone oil. Patients and methods: Eleven eyes of 11 consecutive patients two days to 16 months after successful vitrectomy and intravitreal silicone oil injection and 12 eyes of 12 consecutive subjects, who never had any vitreoretinal surgery were examined using the GDx Nerve Fiber Analyzer. Three individual images were computed to a mean image using the software in each case. Results: "Variance", a software-provided parameter, which represents the differences between the individual images used to calculate the mean image was higher in the "silicone oil" group (unpaired t test for different variances, p = 0.02). Good-quality mean images with a "Variance" value similar to that of the control ea es were obtained in seven of the 11 cases. Characteristic artifacts caused by intravitreal silicone oil were observed in five of the 11 cases. Conclusion: Successful scanning laser polarimetry is possible after vitrectomy and intravitreal silicone oil injection, and may help to monitor the retinal nerve fiber layer of these eyes in case of silicone oil induced glaucoma.