Objective To evaluate the long-term results of vitreoretinal surgery without use of intraocular silicone oil or gas in patients with diabetic tractional retinal detachment (DTRD). Methods The clinical interventional caseseries study included 104 patients (112 eyes) with DTRD, who were consecutively treated by pars plana vitrectomy without use of intraocular silicone oil or gas. Among the eyes, there were 6 eyes with iris neovascularization (INV), 1 eye with neovascular glaucoma (NVG) and 50 eyes with macular retinal detachment. There were no preexisting retinal holes or breaks prior to surgery nor any iatrogenic retinal breaks developed during vitrectomy. Cataract removal combined with intraocular lens implant surgeries were performed on 15 eyes. Followup duration varied from 12 to 65 months (mean: 29 months). Results Subretinal fluid was completely absorbed within 2 months after surgery. In 107 eyes (95.54%), the retina reattached after surgery and remained attached till the end of followup period. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved in 79 eyes (70.53%), remained unchanged in 14 eyes (12.50%) and got worse in 19 eyes (16.79%). The BCVA improving rate was lower in the macular detached group (33 eyes/50 eyes, 66.00% Vs 46 eyes/62 eyes, 74.19%,chi;2=0.89, P=0.344). No obviously aggravated opacity of lens was observed after vitreoretinal surgeries in the eyes without cataract surgeries. Seven (6.25%) eyes showed INV (5 new onset eyes), and none of them developed into NVG. In multivariate logistic regression, factors associated with postoperative rubeosis iridis were pre-existing rubeosis iridis ［adjusted odds ratio (OR)=10.2］, low preoperative BCVA (OR=11.1) and low postoperative BCVA (OR=16.7). Conclusions Vitreoretinal surgery for DTRD may not necessarily be combined with silicone oilor gas tamponade if there are no preoperative or intraoperative retinal breaks, and only using irrigation fluid could access a good longterm prognosis result.