Prevention of viual field defect after macular hole urgery by paing air ued for fluid-air exchange through water Original Reearch Article

PURPOE: To evaluate the effect on peripheral viual field defect occurring after macular hole urgery of paing air that i ued for fluid–air exchange through water before infuion to the eye. METHOD: We ued Goldmann perimetry to meaure the viual field of patient who underwent vitrectomy to manage idiopathic full-thickne macular hole uing either room air or humidified air for fluid–air exchange. We retropectively tudied viual field meaured in 39 patient (group 1) who underwent vitrectomy without humidification of air and propectively tudied viual field meaured in 33 patient (group 2) who conecutively underwent vitrectomy with humidified air for fluid–air exchange. REULT: In group 1, nine patient (23%) had peripheral viual field defect, mot often located in the inferior or inferotemporal quadrant. No patient (0%) in group 2 had a viual field defect after vitrectomy. The difference between group 1 and 2 in the proportion of patient with viual field defect after vitrectomy wa tatitically ignificant (P = .003). CONCLUION: Paing air ued for fluid–air exchange through water eem to prevent viual field defect after vitrectomy for macular hole urgery. Viual field defect that occur after room air i ued may reult from deiccation of the retina by room air.