Abstract
Purpose :
Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) is a common ocular condition with myriad risk factors and complications that remain incompletely studied. In this retrospective clinical study, we analyzed the typical presentation of acute PVD, as well as the prevalence of various treatable findings and changes in the same and fellow eye.
Methods :
This was a retrospective analysis of medical records from 2,346 patients with acute PVD. Patients with new cases of acute PVD were included in the study. Acute PVD was defined as patients presenting with new symptoms of PVD, including flashes or floaters in one or both eyes, or patients with diagnosis of PVD in their code. Patients with a history of any associated ocular disease, prior PVD, and intraocular injections were excluded. Descriptive statistics were generated on age, sex, contact date, visual acuity, and slit lamp and fundoscopy findings. Multivariate regressions were used to generate odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to quantify associations between variables, such as demographics, seasonal presentation, and complications.
Results :
A total of 4,692 eyes from 2,346 patients were analyzed. The majority of patients were female (60.5%) with an average age of 62.8-years-old. Mean visual acuity was 20/30 equivalent. Overall, 605 patients (25.8%) had any additional ocular finding on fundus exam, including pigmentation (N=184, 7.8%), lattice degeneration (N=158, 6.7%), tear (N=131, 5.6%), and hole (N=131, 5.2%). Unilateral retinal detachment was present in 26 patients (1.1%) and these patients demonstrated a similar rate (26.9%) of additional ocular findings compared to the entire sample size. Female sex (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.03-1.43, p = 0.020) was independently associated with presentation during spring or summer.
Conclusions :
In this study we describe the risk factors and prevalence of peripheral lesions and complications in acute PVD. We show associations between female sex and presentation during the spring or summer. Additionally, we highlight the incidence of previously unstudied ocular findings in acute PVD, which may be useful in predicting development of other ocular conditions or for identifying patients at risk for future PVD.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.