Macula displacement common after RRD repair

Macula displacement is common after rhematogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair and is heterogenous in nature, reveals a recent study.

A team headed by Dr Edward Lee, Department of Ophthalmology, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK, postoperatively investigated patients undergoing primary RRD repair using fundus autofluorescence and OCT imaging. The results were assessed for correlations with symptoms and preoperative features.

In 72% of 32 consecutive fovea-involving detachments treated with vitrectomy and gas macula displacement was evident. This was also seen in 29.4% of foveal-sparing cases treated with vitrectomy and gas and in all patients with fovea-involving cases with detachments treated by vitrectomy and oil.

The results revealed a significant correlation between the presence of macula displacement and symptoms of distortion in the early postoperative period. Patients with symptoms described bending of lines with or without objects appearing as smaller or narrower in the operated eye. The extent of displacement was linked with distance from the optic disc and the extent of retinal detachment.

The group discovered that most affected patient, who underwent RRD repair, are symptomatic in the early postoperative period.

The abstract can be found in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.