Purpose
Severe retinal lesions can profoundly affect athletes’ training efficacy and their daily lives. At present, it is not clear if there is effective preventive action. We continuously tracked the ocular changes in athletes and closely monitored the risk factors associated with retinal detachment. Also, we analyzed possible interventions, their risk factors, and efficacies for timely preventions to protect the retina from damage in professional divers.
Methods
Between 2009 and 2013 , a total of 44 professional divers enrolled in follow-up management. The conducted ocular examinations included BCVA, IOP, slit lamp examination, gonioscopy, observing retinal lesion, monitoring the scope of retinal lesion under indirect ophthalmoscopy combined with wide-field photography . The management included optimizing training methods, taking customized follow-up based on different retinal lesions, fundus photocoagulation for definite cases of retinal breaks, lattice retinal degeneration caused by retinal layer thinning or vitreous traction, and observing the changes in the scope of retinal lesion.
Results
Every year, the percentage of divers who have various degrees of retinal lesions is between 34.6% and 48.2%. And there were no statistically significant differences in divers’ best-corrected visual acuity and retinal lesions. However, there were statistically significant differences in IOP of left eye during these years(F=2.599, P=0.041). There was a diver detected with angle recession of one quadrant in her right eye in 2013. Furthermore , training programme was risk factor of range of retinal lesions(P=0.0156-0.0349).
Conclusions
By means of five years follow-up, it was found that diving was likely to damage retinal and have impact on intraocular pressure. Training programme is risk factor of retinal lesions , so platform divers are more likely to have retinal lesions than springboard divers. Our management of fundus lesions could be effective to prevent retinal detachment in professional divers.