Effect of Retina Detachment Surgery at Long Time on Macular Microvascular Structure: An Optical Coherencetomographyangiography Study

Abstract

PurposeTo investigate the macular microvascular changes after surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment(RRD) using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA).MethodsStudy analyzed the of 33 patients, who underwent pars plana vitrectomy(PPV) plus tamponade silicon oil(SO) or sulfurhexafluoride/perfloropropan(SF6/C3F8), or silicon band cerclage(SBC) in one eye. Operated eyes were included in group A(n=33) and fellow eyes served as control group B (n=33). The group A were created according to the type of surgery. Subgroup1: PPV+SBC+SO tamponade, subgroup 2: PPV+SF6/C3F8 tamponade, subgroup 3: PPV+SO tamponade and subgroup 4:SBC+SF6/C3F8 tamponade. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA, log MAR), superficial and deep retinal vessel density(VD), choriocapillarisVD, foveal avascularzone(FAZ) area (mm2) and centra lmacular thickness(CMT) were evaluated using OCTA.ResultsMean postoperative follow-up time was 23±16.6 months, BCVA was 0.53±0.5 in group A, 0.01 in group B(p<0.001), in subgroups 1-4: 0.64±0.35, 0.45±0.43, 0.41±0.54, 0.40±0.76, respectively(p<0.001). Mean CMT(µm) was in groups A, B: 271±59, 261±37 (p=0.468); in subgroups 1-4: 239±46, 277±70, 273±60, 308±48, respectively(p=0.018). VD (%) in group A, B for superficial parafoveal (40.3±6.7 vs 46.9±6.2, p<0.001), superficial superiorhemifield (39.6±6.3vs 45.6±.2(p<0.001) and superficial inferiorhemifield (38.2±9.1vs 44.9±5.7(p<0.001). Mean VD in subgroups 1-4: for superficial superiorhemifield 40.25±7.8, 36.4±3.7, 40.1±6.3, 40.7±6(p=0.003); for superficial inferiorhemifield 36.0±14.5, 37.0±3.9, 40.1±5.7, 39.6±6.5p=0.019); for deep fovea 27.0±8.9, 33.6±10.3, 33.2±7.4 ,42.37±8.2(p=0.016). The mean FAZ area(mm2) in group A and B: 0.286±0.14;0.264±0.11(p=0.59), in subgroups 1-4: 0.363±0.14, 0.268±0.11, 0.221±0.13,0.279±0.13(p=0.131). ConclusionSuperficial and deepVD measurements of OCTA represented a decreasing trend following the surgery for RRD. The FAZ area was similar between theoperated and fellow eyes for a longer follow-up period.