Predictive Factors for Long-Term Postoperative Visual Outcome in Patients with Macula-Off Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Treated with Vitrectomy

Abstract

<b><i>Purpose:</i></b> The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate potential predictive factors of long-term postoperative outcomes in patients with macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) treated with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Participants in this study were 86 patients diagnosed with macula-off RRD, who underwent PPV. Demographic characteristics and preoperative characteristics of RRD were recorded, while best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured preoperatively and at specific postoperative time points (6 weeks and 6, 12, and 24 months). In addition, spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) characteristics at postoperative week 6 were assessed as potential factors affecting the long-term postoperative visual outcome 24 months after PPV for RRD. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Increasing age, duration of RD of more than 1 week, presence of proliferative vitreoretinopathy, increasing central retinal thickness, ellipsoid zone disruption, and external limiting membrane disruption were significantly associated with a worse BVCA. BCVA was not associated with gender, lens status, the location of breaks, the gas tamponade agent used in PPV, the presence of subretinal fluid, and intraretinal fluid. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> It is important to determine predictive factors for visual outcomes in order to inform patients about their prognosis and help in the decision-making process for patient management.