Long‐term reproducibility of axial length in eyes undergoing combined phacovitrectomy for macular‐sparing rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Abstract

Purpose To evaluate the change of axial length (AL) and the long‐term reproducibility measured by optical biometry and ultrasound A‐scan (US) after combined phacovitrectomy for macular‐on retinal detachment (RD). Methods Thirty‐seven eyes that underwent combined phacovitrectomy with intraocular lens implantation were analyzed, prospectively. The ALs were measured before surgery, after 1 year and 2 years, using optical biometry (IOL Master®, Carl Zeiss, Jena, Germany) and US. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CV), and test–retest standard deviation (TRTSD) were assessed. Results The mean age of patients was 56.5 ± 6.2 years, and 20 (54.1%) of the 37 were men. The mean preoperative AL measured by optical biometry was 25.03 ± 1.69 mm in vitrectomized eyes and 24.96 ± 1.70 mm in fellow eyes. The ICC, CV, and TRTSD were 0.97, 0.45 and 0.114 in vitrectomized eyes and 0.98, 0.66, 0.167 in fellow eyes, respectively. These parameters exhibit excellent long‐term reproducibility. Refractive prediction error by optical biometry and US were ‐0.41 ± 0.67 D (p = 0.001), and ‐0.49 ± 0.68 D (p = 0.000) respectively, which shows myopic shift. Correlation analysis showed significant relationships between myopic shift with shallow anterior chamber and thick lens. Conclusions After combined phacovitrectomy for macular on RD, the AL showed excellent long‐term intervisit reproducibility for two years. Regardless of AL, combined phacovitrectomy and gas tamponade resulted in significant myopic shift of postoperative refraction, for both optical biometry and US.