The purpose of the study was the evaluation of results of vitrectomy classified according to time elapsed after trauma in school age and adolescent patients. Material and methods: We evaluated the treatment of 35 children between the age of 8 to17 years old, who underwent vitrectomy from January 1991 to February 1995. In all cases indication of vitrectomy was complicated intraocular trauma. The mean follow up time was 15 months. Results: We defined the successful results of our treatment as an eye with attached retinas and a final visual acuity above 1/50 and it was achieved in 77.1% of operated cases. Within this group 69% of operated patients had a final visual acuity of 5/50 or better. The condition of all patient's operated eyes was stable for 12 months after vitrectomy. Conclusions: Vitrectomy is the treatment of choice for complicated ocular trauma in school age and adolescent patients and proves to be the method with high degree of successful results, both anatomical and functional, which indicates the possibility of binocular vision. Early management of the patient with trauma, within 72 hours after injury, gives better results.

Keywords: Vitrectomy, ocular trauma, children