Long-Term Outcomes of Same Patient Eyes Treated with Pars Plana Vitrectomy in One Eye and Conventional Treatment in the Other for Complications of Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term, real-world outcomes of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for complications of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. A retrospective review involving 64 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy that underwent PPV in their worse-seeing eye were followed for a minimum of 8 years. The fellow eye underwent conventional treatment. Patients were divided into two groups by age: patients younger than 50 years of age and patients older than 50. In the younger than 50 group, 89% of vitrectomized eyes had improved visual acuity (VA) while 3.6% had decreased VA. A total of 14% of vitrectomized eyes required additional laser and 11% required reoperations. In the conventional treatment eyes, 25% had improved VA while 68% had decreased VA (p < 0.05). A total of 72% required additional laser and 60% required PPV. In the older than 50 group, 86% of vitrectomized eyes had VA improvement and 3% had decreased VA. A total of 8% required laser and 8% required reoperations. In the conventional treatment eyes, 30% improved VA and 48% had decreased VA (p < 0.05). Additional procedures required included laser in 70% and PPV in 17%. In both age groups, eyes that underwent PPV had better final visual outcomes than eyes that received conventional treatment for PDR.