Materials and Methods: Retrospective comparative analysis of 149 consecutive eyes from 149 patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy. Nineteen patients, who did not satisfy the inclusion criteria, were excluded from the study. Sixty-one patients underwent 23 G patients and 69 patients underwent 25 G vitrectomy. The outcome measures were the retina re-attachment rates, peroperative and postoperative complications, and postoperative visual acuity.

Results: Demographic and preoperative ocular characteristics were similar in both groups. Single operation success rates were 94.2% for 25 G cases and 88.5% for 23 G cases (p=0.246). Intraoperative iatrogenic retinal break rates were higher in 23 G group (p=0.041), and sutured sclerotomies were more common with 23 G system (p=0.001). Postoperative hypotony occured in four patients in both groups (p=0.85). We observed postoperative macular hole in one and subretinal perfluorocarbon liquid in one eye in 25 G group. One patient in 23 G had endophthalmitis, which was the only case in both groups.

Conclusion: Both 23 G and 25 G systems are suitable, effective and safe surgical approaches for primary repair of RRD. Surgical outcomes and anatomical and functional results were similar in 25 G and 23 G groups. Minor differences between groups were the higher incidence of intraoperative retinal breaks and suturing sclerotomy sites with 23 gauge system. Keywords : Vitrectomy, 25 gauge, 23 gauge, retinal detachment, retina