Abstract
Purpose :
To explore changes in the microcirculation of various retinal layers, visual acuity outcomes and the presence of metamorphopsia in patients with macula off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).
Methods :
Fourteen patients with macula off RRD eyes, successfully treated with pars-plana vitrectomy and evaluated 6 months after surgery, were retrospectively studied. The mean age was 57 years. Seventy percent of treated eyes were phakic and 30% were pseudophakic. Sulfur hexafluoride was used in 80 % of cases and silicon oil in 20%. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was used to evaluate the superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP), the intermediate retinal capillary plexus (ICP), the deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP) and the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) of the RRD eyes. The fellow unaffected eyes were used as control for comparison. Metamorphopsia, evaluated with D-charts, and visual acuity (VA) were analyzed.
Results :
The mean time of duration of macula off was 2 days. Visual acuity before surgery was 20/200 and at 6 months VA was 20/40. The vessel area density (VAD), the vessel density index (VDI) and the vessel length fraction (VLF) were significantly lower and the FAZ area was enlarged in the deep retinal capillary plexus compared to the fellow eyes. No changes were observed in the intermediate and superficial plexus. The total metamorphopsia score was significant in the R1 ring and was not significant in the R2, R3 and R4 rings. Visual acuity was related to FAZ area enlargement and the changes detected on the deep retinal plexus.
Conclusions :
Macula off RRD may cause not only retinal structure damage but also decreased retinal perfusion even after successful retinal repair. The main changes are evident on the deep retinal plexus and are associated with the presence of metamorphopsia.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.