AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of vitreous hemorrhage(VH)in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy(PCV), and to summarize the clinical characteristics of the cases.

METHODS: Retrospective case series. From Jan. 2014 to Dec. 2017, 14 patients(15 eyes)with PCV combined with VH were treated by microincision 25G vitrectomy in our hospital and were followed up for at least 6mo. Data of medical history and follow up observation were collected. The main outcome measures included visual acuity, intraocular pressure, ultrasonography, color fundus photography, fundus angiography, optical coherence tomography, and surgical complications. To analyze the difference of the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA, LogMAR)between pre-operation and postoperation, and to summarize the clinical characteristics and therapeutic effect of the cases.

RESULTS: Totally 11 cases had history of hypertension. 9 eyes were diagnosed with PCV before vitrectomy. The follow-up period was from 6-36mo. All 15 eyes were treated with microincision 25G vitrectomy. During the operation, 3 eyes were silicone oil tamponade in the vitreous cavity, 2 eyes were gas tamponade, and the remaining eyes were balanced saline solution tamponade. Postoperative complications included progressed cataract in 2 eyes, recurrent VH in 1 eye, high intraocular pressure in 1 eye, and recurrent retinal detachment in 0 eye. The BCVA before surgery was 2.78±0.46, and the last follow up BCVA after surgery was 1.15±0.50. Postoperative BCVA was significantly improved compared with the preoperation(t=11.14, P<0.01).

CONCLUSION: Microincision vitrectomy is a safe and effective way to treat PCV with VH, which can improve the visual acuity of patients with PCV companied with VH. The history of hypertension may be a risk factor for PCV with VH.