In a prospective, double-blind, randomized, clinical trial, glutathione bicarbonate Ringer’s (GBR) intraocular irrigation fluid was compared with Ringer’s solution in 80 consecutive vitrectomies, with a mean follow-up of 5.8 months. No differences could be found with regard to visual acuity, corneal edema, anterior chamber flare, postoperative intraocular pressure ≥ 30 mm Hg or phthisis bulbi. In this study, the superiority of GBR solution over Ringer’s solution demonstrated in vitro could not be confirmed.