To report the 10 – year rate of vitrectomies and the associated factors in people with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) from a multicentric cohort of people with diabetes mellitus.
Ten centres in India with established vitreoretinal services for over 10 years were invited to provide long-term data on PDR. People with Type 1 or 2 diabetes with a clinical diagnosis of active PDR in one or both eyes were included. Baseline data collected included age, sex, duration of diabetes, source of referral and best-corrected visual acuity and diabetic retinopathy status in both eyes. Available follow-up data included the numbers of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) sessions, cataract surgery, treatment of diabetic macular edema, use of anti- vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, vitrectomy with or without retinal surgeries over 10 years.
Over 10 years, 89 % needed supplemental PRP after initial complete PRP. One – third required retinal surgery, 16 % needed intravitreal injection. Men (74.5%) had significant higher risk for vitreous surgery. Of the group with low risk PDR, 56.8% did not require vitreoretinal surgery, p <0.001. Of the patients who underwent cataract surgery and had intravitreal anti-VEGF injections, 78.5% and 28.2% needed subsequent vitreous surgery (VR), p=0.006 and <0.0001 respectively. Independent predictors of need for vitreo-retinal surgery included those who underwent cataract surgery and those with poor baseline visual acuity (logMAR). Eyes at lower risk for VR surgery included the eyes previously treated with PRP and low-risk PDR at baseline.
Despite initial ‘complete’ PRP, one third of our study cohort needed vitrectomies over 10 years, highlighting that these patients require regular follow-up for a long period of time.

© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.

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