ecovery of Visual Acuity after Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Involving the Macula

Chang, Woo Hyok; Park, Young Hoon

Abstract

We retrospectively investigated long-term visual prognosis following successful retinal reattachment in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detach-ment involving the macula. We operated 852 eyes using scleral buckling technique between May 1983 and May 1995. Among them 20 patients with macular detachment had been followed for more than three years postoperatively. The age range of patients was between 13 and 37 years[mean 23.6 +/-8.0]. Among 10 eyes, the best-corrected visual acuity at 3 years after surgery improved by one line than best-corrected visual acuity at 3 months postoperatively[improved group]. Among the other 10 eyes, no interval change was found during the period[unimproved group]. Improvement of long-term postoperative visual acuity was found to be statistically correlated with shorter duration of macular detachment[< or =30 days]and the location of detachment[inferior][p<0.05]. According to this study, surgeon should be aware that the visual function of reattached retina may improve during the long postoperative peroid, especially in eyes with above features.