Histopathology of Silicone Oil Keratopathy in Humans

Corneal endothelial decompensation is a frequent complication when silicone oil is used as a tamponade following vitrectomy for treatment of proliferative vitreoretinopathy in an aphakic eye. We evaluated the clinical, histopathological, and ultrastructural features of silicone oil-induced keratopathy in 10 patients who developed corneal complications requiring penetrating keratoplasty. Clinically, some cases showed corneal edema, corneal hypesthesia, endothelial opacification, band keratopathy, and peripheral corneal vascularization. Histopathologically, retrocorneal membranes were present, and different degrees of stromal hypercellularity, superficial stromal calcification, and vascularization were noted. The ultrastructural features of endothelial cell loss and retrocorneal membrane formation are consistent with changes previously reported in rabbits and cats receiving intracameral silicone oil injections.