Abstract
Purpose: :
To investigate the time course of changes in aqueous flare intensity after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD) and to determine the clinical factors which are related to changes in aqueous flare intensity.
Methods: :
This study included 22 unilateral RD patients undergoing initial PPV. Aqueous flare intensity were measured preoperatively and at 1 and 2 weeks, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively using a laser flare meter. Clinical data were collected, including age, preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP), circumferential dimension of retinal tears, area of retinal detachment, duration of disease, number of laser photocoagulation, operation time, performance of combined cataract surgery, macular involvement, and occurrence of postoperative fibrin formation.
Results: :
Before surgery, aqueous flare intensity in RD eyes was significantly higher than that in the contralateral normal eyes. PPV increased aqueous flare intensity, and the peak was observed at the first postoperative week. The aqueous flare value at 1 week postoperatively was more than 8 times higher than that in the contralateral normal eyes. The aqueous flare intensity decreased to a stable level at 3 months postoperatively, but remained significantly higher than that of the contralateral or preoperative eyes throughout the observation period. Clinical factors significantly correlated with the increases in aqueous flare intensity were: 1) before surgery, area of retinal detachment and decreased preoperative IOP; 2) three months postoperatively, circumferential dimension of retinal tears, number of laser photocoagulation, operation time, and combined cataract surgery. Multiple regression analysis revealed that aqueous flare intensity at 3 months postoperatively had a significant correlation with the circumferential dimension of retinal tears (p<0.005) and the number of laser photocoagulation (p<0.05).
Conclusions: :
The aqueous flare intensity after PPV for RD decreased to a stable level 3 months postoperatively, but remained significantly higher than normal level. The circumferential dimension of retinal tears and the degree of surgical invasion were associated with the increases of aqueous flare intensity after surgery.
Keywords: aqueous • retinal detachment • vitreoretinal surgery