Visual recovery in macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachments

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to review the best postoperative visual recovery in patients with macula-off detachments of 7 days’ duration or less. Design Noncontrolled, prospective, interventional case series. Participants A total of 104 patients with macula-off detachments of 7 days or less were studied, and the time of the macular detachment within the first 7 days was carefully determined. Intervention All 104 detachments were repaired with a primary scleral buckling procedure. Four cases were primary failures and were excluded from the study. Main outcome measures Statistical methods were used to compare the visual results of three groups of patients; those operated on between 1 and 2 days, 3 and 4 days, or 5 and 7 days after macular involvement. Results The mean postoperative visual acuity was 20/60. Fifty-nine percent of patients regained 20/50 or better visual acuity, 35% regained visual acuity between 20/60 and 20/200, and 5% of patients were left with visual acuity of less than 20/200 regardless of whether they had undergone surgery within 1 to 2 days, 3 to 4 days, or 5 to 7 days after macular involvement. There was no statistical difference in visual recovery in patients operated on within 1 to 2 days, 3 to 4 days, or 5 to 7 days after macular involvement ( P = 0.533). Conclusion Within the first week after development of macula-off retinal detachment, delay in surgical repair does not adversely affect visual outcome.