Fovea-sparing retinal detachments: time to surgery and visual outcomes

To study the effect of the duration from initial evaluation to repair on outcomes for fovea-sparing rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

Retrospective, single-surgeon, consecutive case series.

Medical records were reviewed for preoperative and intraoperative factors possibly associated with visual and anatomic outcomes for all patients undergoing scleral buckling procedure (SBP) for fovea-sparing, primary RRD between 1989 and 2004.

Fifty-five percent of 199 patients had symptoms for < or = 7 days, 83% had best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) > or = 20/40, and 33% had a RRD that had extended to within the macular arcade vessels. Eighty-five percent were operated within 3 days, including 56% within 24 hours. One case progressed to fovea-off status before surgery 4 days after initial evaluation (0.5%). The single-operation success rate was 88% and final anatomic success was 99.5% (1 patient refused reoperation). Eighty-six percent were examined postoperatively for at least 2 months; 73% had > or = 20/40 vision. The strongest predictor of postoperative BCVA was initial BCVA (r = 0.47; P < .001). There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative BCVA or single-operation success rate at any point within 3 days of initial examination. No statistically significant correlation was found between postoperative BCVA and duration of symptoms, RRD location, direction of the closest approach of the RRD to the fovea, or need for reoperation.

Progression to fovea-off status was rare in this series when a selectively urgent, but not strictly emergent, surgical approach was employed for fovea-sparing RRD.