Comparison of Face-down Positioning Durations Following Silicone Oil Tamponade

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the rate and timing of retinal redetachments and other complications following pars plana vitrectomy for retinal detachment repair with silicone oil tamponade and the effect of facedown positioning duration on these endpoints. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on patients with retinal detachment repair via pars plana vitrectomy with silicone oil tamponade between 2015 and 2020. Surgery was performed by 10 physicians associated with a private retina practice in Cleveland, Ohio. Duration of postoperative face-down positioning was noted and patients were grouped by short ( _6 days) or long ( _6 days and 29.29% of patients with face-down positioning _7 days (P = .045). No significant difference was found in epiretinal membrane formation or cataract formation (P >.05). CONCLUSION: There was a lower rate of redetachment in patients who kept a face-down position for >_7 days compared with <_6 days. Further study to determine causality between duration of postoperative facedown positioning and retinal redetachment is recommended.