Pneumatic Vitreolysis With Intravitreal Air for Focal Vitreomacular Traction

PURPOSE: To determine whether pneumatic vitreolysis with intravitreal air is effective for focal vitreomacular traction (VMT). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective consecutive case series of 20 eyes from 19 individuals with focal VMT who underwent pneumatic vitreolysis with intravitreal air (January 2017 to November 2018). We analyzed patients via spectral-domain optical coherence tomography before intravitreal air injection and at 1 month. The primary outcome measure was release of VMT. RESULTS: We observed release of VMT in 55% of individuals. An analysis limited to phakic eyes demonstrated release of VMT in 69%, and 65% developed improved best-corrected visual acuity. Individuals with persistent VMT and visual improvement had a significant reduction in angle of vitreoretinal insertion (P < .01), area under VMT (P < .05), and subfoveal cyst area (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal air is an effective treatment for focal VMT. In individuals with persistent VMT, visual-acuity improvement was associated with a reduction in overall VMT.