The use of silicone oils with viscosity of 1000 cs and 5000 cs in vitrectomy procedures: a literature review
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Published:
Oct 5, 2026
Keywords:
silicone oil 1000 cs, silicone oil 5000 cs, retinal detachment, vitrectomy, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, PVR
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Abstract
Silicone oil endotamponade is an important element of vitreoretinal surgery, especially in the treatment of complex and recurrent retinal detachments. The most commonly used oils are 1000 cs and 5000 cs viscosities. The aim of this paper is to review the current knowledge regarding their use, with particular emphasis on indications, anatomical efficacy, and complications. Literature analysis indicates that both oils provide comparable final retinal attachment. The 5000 cs oil is more resistant to emulsification but more difficult to use, while the 1000 cs oil is easier intraoperatively but more susceptible to emulsification. The choice of viscosity should be individualized.
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1.
Gołda M, Dzięcioł K, Sirek S, Wyględowska-Promieńska D. The use of silicone oils with viscosity of 1000 cs and 5000 cs in vitrectomy procedures: a literature review. Ophthatherapy [Internet]. 2026Oct.5 [cited 2026Oct.23];00:A290926. Available from: https://www.journalsmededu.pl/index.php/ophthatherapy/article/view/3445
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Surgery and laser therapy
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Address reprint requests to: Medical Education, Marcin Kuźma (marcin.kuzma@mededu.pl)
References
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2. Branisteanu DC, Moraru AD, Maranduca MA et al. Intraocular pressure changes during and after silicone oil endotamponade (Review). Exp Ther Med. 2020; 20(6): 204. http://doi.org/ 10.3892/etm.2020.9334.
3. Moharram HM, Abdelhalim AS, Hamid MA et al. Comparison Between Silicone Oil and Gas in Tamponading Giant Retinal Breaks. Clin Ophthalmol. 2020; 14: 127-32. http://doi.org/ 10.2147/OPTH.S237783.
4. Łątkowska M, Gajdzis M, Kaczmarek R. Emulsification of Silicone Oils: Altering Factors and Possible Complications-A Narrative Review. J Clin Med. 2024; 13(8): 2407. http://doi.org/ 10.3390/jcm13082407.
5. Prasuhn M, Rommel F, Mohi A et al. Impact of Silicone Oil Removal on Macular Perfusion. Tomography. 2022; 8(4): 1735-41. http://doi.org/10.3390/tomography8040146.
6. Er D, Öner H, Kaya M et al. Evaluation of the Effects of Silicone Oil on the Macula with Optical Coherence Tomography in Patients with Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment. Turk J Ophthalmol. 2021; 51(4): 218-24. http://doi.org/10.4274/tjo.galenos.2020.48376.
7. Wilson DI, Te Water Naude AD, Snead MP. Refinements in the use of silicone oil as an intraocular tamponade. Eye (Lond). 2024; 38(10): 1810-5. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-02403027-y .
8. Horozoglu F, Sener H, Polat OA et al. Evaluation of long-term outcomes associated with extended heavy-silicone oil use for the treatment of inferior retinal detachment. Sci Rep. 2022; 12(1): 11636. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15896-y.
9. Davidson M, Dowlut S, Zhang J et al. Heavy silicone oil tamponade: a multicentre experience. BMJ Open Ophthalmol. 2022; 7(1): e001018. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjophth-2022001018.
10. Gisquet C, Ndiaye NC, Dubroux C et al. Retinal redetachment after silicone oil removal: a risk factor analysis. BMC Ophthalmol. 2024; 24(1): 346. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-024-03618-z .
11. Coman Cernat CC, Munteanu M, Patoni Popescu SI et al. Silicone oil complications in vitreoretinal surgery. Rom J Ophthalmol. 2022; 66(4): 299-303. http://doi.org/10.22336/rjo.2022.55.
12. Abu-Yaghi NE, Abu Gharbieh YA, Al-Amer AM et al. Characteristics, fates and complications of long-term silicone oil tamponade after pars plana vitrectomy. BMC Ophthalmol. 2020; 20(1): 336. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-020-01608-5.
13. Schwartz SG, Flynn HW Jr, Wang X et al. Tamponade in surgery for retinal detachment associated with proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020; 5(5): CD006126. http://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006126.pub4.
14. Zewar A, Lochhead J. Anterior “beaded” emulsification as a late complication of heavy silicone oil in retina surgery. Digit J Ophthalmol. 2021; 27(1): 13-6. http://doi.org/10.5693/djo.02.2021.01.002.
15. Tayyab HA, Iqbal K, Rahman FU et al. The Emulsification of Silicone Oil 5000 cs in Patients With Retinal Detachment. Cureus. 2023; 15(6): e40205. http://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.40205.
16. Li J, Wu W, Huang C et al. Postoperative Outcomes of 1-Month Silicone Oil Tamponade in Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment: A Multicenter Study. Ophthalmic Res. 2025; 68(1): 333-41. http://doi.org/10.1159/000546255.
17. Kounatidou NE, Mautone L, Druchkiv V et al. Early versus late silicone oil tamponade removal after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: a retrospective real world comparative study. Int J Retina Vitreous. 2025; 11(1): 105. http://doi.org/10.1186/s40942-025-00743-9.
18. Gibelalde A, Pinar-Sueiro S, Martínez-Soroa I. Analysis of factors associated with postvitrectomy cataract formation in phakic patients undergoing vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol (Engl Ed). 2025; 100(11): 689-95. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.oftale.2025.09.004.
19. Markan A, Sharma RK, Singla P et al. Silicone oil opacification without emulsification: a rare complication following pars plana vitrectomy. Rom J Ophthalmol. 2025; 69(3): 421-6. http://doi.org/10.22336/rjo.2025.66.
20. Pakravan P, Shaheen A, Patel V et al. Unexplained Vision Loss Associated With Intraocular Silicone Oil Tamponade in Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Repair. J Vitreoretin Dis. 2023; 7(4): 299-304. http://doi.org/10.1177/24741264231161121.
2. Branisteanu DC, Moraru AD, Maranduca MA et al. Intraocular pressure changes during and after silicone oil endotamponade (Review). Exp Ther Med. 2020; 20(6): 204. http://doi.org/ 10.3892/etm.2020.9334.
3. Moharram HM, Abdelhalim AS, Hamid MA et al. Comparison Between Silicone Oil and Gas in Tamponading Giant Retinal Breaks. Clin Ophthalmol. 2020; 14: 127-32. http://doi.org/ 10.2147/OPTH.S237783.
4. Łątkowska M, Gajdzis M, Kaczmarek R. Emulsification of Silicone Oils: Altering Factors and Possible Complications-A Narrative Review. J Clin Med. 2024; 13(8): 2407. http://doi.org/ 10.3390/jcm13082407.
5. Prasuhn M, Rommel F, Mohi A et al. Impact of Silicone Oil Removal on Macular Perfusion. Tomography. 2022; 8(4): 1735-41. http://doi.org/10.3390/tomography8040146.
6. Er D, Öner H, Kaya M et al. Evaluation of the Effects of Silicone Oil on the Macula with Optical Coherence Tomography in Patients with Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment. Turk J Ophthalmol. 2021; 51(4): 218-24. http://doi.org/10.4274/tjo.galenos.2020.48376.
7. Wilson DI, Te Water Naude AD, Snead MP. Refinements in the use of silicone oil as an intraocular tamponade. Eye (Lond). 2024; 38(10): 1810-5. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-02403027-y .
8. Horozoglu F, Sener H, Polat OA et al. Evaluation of long-term outcomes associated with extended heavy-silicone oil use for the treatment of inferior retinal detachment. Sci Rep. 2022; 12(1): 11636. http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15896-y.
9. Davidson M, Dowlut S, Zhang J et al. Heavy silicone oil tamponade: a multicentre experience. BMJ Open Ophthalmol. 2022; 7(1): e001018. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjophth-2022001018.
10. Gisquet C, Ndiaye NC, Dubroux C et al. Retinal redetachment after silicone oil removal: a risk factor analysis. BMC Ophthalmol. 2024; 24(1): 346. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-024-03618-z .
11. Coman Cernat CC, Munteanu M, Patoni Popescu SI et al. Silicone oil complications in vitreoretinal surgery. Rom J Ophthalmol. 2022; 66(4): 299-303. http://doi.org/10.22336/rjo.2022.55.
12. Abu-Yaghi NE, Abu Gharbieh YA, Al-Amer AM et al. Characteristics, fates and complications of long-term silicone oil tamponade after pars plana vitrectomy. BMC Ophthalmol. 2020; 20(1): 336. http://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-020-01608-5.
13. Schwartz SG, Flynn HW Jr, Wang X et al. Tamponade in surgery for retinal detachment associated with proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020; 5(5): CD006126. http://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006126.pub4.
14. Zewar A, Lochhead J. Anterior “beaded” emulsification as a late complication of heavy silicone oil in retina surgery. Digit J Ophthalmol. 2021; 27(1): 13-6. http://doi.org/10.5693/djo.02.2021.01.002.
15. Tayyab HA, Iqbal K, Rahman FU et al. The Emulsification of Silicone Oil 5000 cs in Patients With Retinal Detachment. Cureus. 2023; 15(6): e40205. http://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.40205.
16. Li J, Wu W, Huang C et al. Postoperative Outcomes of 1-Month Silicone Oil Tamponade in Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment: A Multicenter Study. Ophthalmic Res. 2025; 68(1): 333-41. http://doi.org/10.1159/000546255.
17. Kounatidou NE, Mautone L, Druchkiv V et al. Early versus late silicone oil tamponade removal after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: a retrospective real world comparative study. Int J Retina Vitreous. 2025; 11(1): 105. http://doi.org/10.1186/s40942-025-00743-9.
18. Gibelalde A, Pinar-Sueiro S, Martínez-Soroa I. Analysis of factors associated with postvitrectomy cataract formation in phakic patients undergoing vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol (Engl Ed). 2025; 100(11): 689-95. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.oftale.2025.09.004.
19. Markan A, Sharma RK, Singla P et al. Silicone oil opacification without emulsification: a rare complication following pars plana vitrectomy. Rom J Ophthalmol. 2025; 69(3): 421-6. http://doi.org/10.22336/rjo.2025.66.
20. Pakravan P, Shaheen A, Patel V et al. Unexplained Vision Loss Associated With Intraocular Silicone Oil Tamponade in Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Repair. J Vitreoretin Dis. 2023; 7(4): 299-304. http://doi.org/10.1177/24741264231161121.