Association of Microvasculature Changes with Visual Outcomes after Successful Retinal Detachment Surgery

Purpose: To evaluate macular microvascular changes and their correlation with visual outcomes after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) surgery.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Participants: The study included 74 eyes successfully operated for RRD.

Methods: The foveal avascular zone area in the superficial capillary plexus, the vessel density (VD) in the superficial capillary plexus, vessel density deep capillary plexus (VD DCP), and choriocapillary plexus were evaluated using octangiography at 1 and 6 months postoperatively. The fellow eyes were used as controls for comparison.

Main outcome measures: The correlation between octangiography parameters and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was assessed using a hybrid linear mixed model. We also analyzed the relationship between octangiography parameters and the integrity of the external limiting membrane (ELM) and ellipsoid zone (EZ) of photoreceptors.

Results: The median VD DCP was significantly decreased in RRD eyes at 1 month (P = 0.019), but gradually improved over time to reach the value of the fellow eyes at 6 months (P = 1). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in median foveal avascular zone area, superficial capillary plexus, and choriocapillary plexus (P = 0.579, P = 0.618, P = 0.068 and P = 0.819, P = 1, and P = 1, respectively) at both 1 and 6 months postoperatively. Postoperative BCVA was positively correlated with VD DCP (P = 0.009) in multivariate analysis. Eyes with low 1-month VD DCP tended to have worse final BCVA (P = 0.067). There was no correlation between VD DCP and ELM and/or EZ integrity at both 1 (P = 0.156) and 6 months postoperatively (P = 0.161). Eyes with intact ELM and EZ at 6 months, however, had significantly higher 1-month VD DCP than those with disrupted ELM and/or EZ (P = 0.027).

Conclusion: The VD DCP was affected in RRD eyes as well as strongly associated with postoperative BCVA and the restoration of photoreceptor layers. It might thus serve as a predictor for visual recovery following successful RRD surgery.