Silicone Oil OKd for Treatment of Detached Retina

A silicone oil product has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of detached retina, an eye condition that can cause blindness.

The FDA announced Monday that the product, marketed as Adatomed Silicone Oil, successfully treated 60% to 75% of patients participating in clinical trials in the United States and Europe.

Detached retina is a disorder in which the transmission of light signals to the brain is interrupted.

Injury and disease, including AIDS, can cause a detached retina. About 18,000 to 30,000 Americans develop this condition each year.

Standard treatment for the disorder is surgery, but FDA Commissioner David A. Kessler said that for some people, including many with AIDS, the surgery is not successful. Silicone oil could save their sight, he said.

The FDA said the oil is approved for treatment of complicated retinal detachments not corrected with standard surgery.