Microvascular retinal alterations in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment after pneumatic retinopexy

Abstract

To evaluate the macular microvascularity with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) which were successfully treated with pneumatic retinopexy (PR). Thirty eyes of thirty patients who were treated with PR (12 eyes with macula-off RRD and 18 eyes with macula-on RRD) were included in this prospective study. OCTA was used to evaluate the macular perfusion changes postoperatively at 1 and 3months. The fellow eyes (30 eyes) were used as control for comparison. Parafoveal retinal thickness (RT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were evaluated. Vessel density (VD) in SCP, DCP and choriocapillaris plexus (CCP) flow area was significantly lower in the macula-off group one month after the PR (p<0.001). In the macula-off group, VD in SCP, DCP and CCP flow area significantly increased at months 3 (p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.009). The inner RT, RT and FAZ decreased three months after PR (p<0.001, p=0.001, <0.001). The FAZ was significantly larger in the macula-off group at third months after PR (p<0.001). The inner RT was higher in the macula-off group at third month (p=0.012). There was no significant difference between the groups in means of final VD, CCP flow area and RT. There was also a negative correlation between the final BCVA (logMAR) and FAZ at month 3 (r=0.776, p=0.003). Optical coherence tomography angiography evaluation of macular capillary plexuses may be useful for predicting vascular structural changes in patients undergoing PR.