The tissues detached after the vitrectomy surgery must be attached mechanically. There are two tampon materials used in practice for this purpose: gas and silicone oil infusion. If a tamponade of longer term than gas infusion is desired in the intraocular space, silicone oil application is preferred. This method is mostly applied for lesions with chronic and prevalent damage.

Although silicone oil has some advantages compared with gas infusion, its most significant problem is that this oil should be removed after the treatment. This is because when silicone is kept in the eye for a long time, it deteriorates (emulsification) and both loses its tamponade effect and causes serious problems  such as glaucoma and cataract.