Background: Histological changes in the retina during the use of heavy tamponade agents have been linked with the pressure on the retina caused by the increased specific gravity of the agent. This paper calculates the possible increases in pressure due to these agents and questions the validity of this argument.
Methods: A model eye chamber was used to make measurements of the shape of F6H8 bubbles, with incrementally increasing volumes, and thus calculate the maximum possible increase in pressure under the tamponade agent.
Results: The maximum increase in pressure under an F6H8 tamponade which completely fills an eye with a diameter of 2.2 cm would be 0.52 mmHg.
Conclusions: This increase in pressure is within normal diurnal pressure changes in the eye; therefore, it would seem unlikely that such an increase could cause the histological changes observed. With increasing volumes of a heavy tamponade agent, aqueous is excluded from a greater area of retina. This could account for the pathological changes reported.