Topographic changes of retinal layers after resolution of acute retinal detachment

To investigate changes in thickness profiles of retinal layers after resolution of recent onset rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans were performed for 28 patients diagnosed with unilateral inferior half or superior half retinal detachment who underwent retinal reattachment surgery. The thickness of each retinal layer was measured at 3000 μm and 2800 μm in the superior and inferior directions from the foveal center. The thicknesses of each retinal layer of the reattached retina were compared with those of the undetached region of the retina of the same eye.

Sixteen patients were diagnosed with superior half and 12 patients were diagnosed with inferior half retinal detachment. The mean duration of retinal detachment was 6.9 ± 3.9 days. SD-OCT scans were performed 10.4 ± 6.9 months after the surgery. The thicknesses of the outer nuclear layer and photoreceptor layer in the reattached retina were significantly thinner than those of the undetached retina (P = 0.012, and P = 0.018, respectively).

Our findings suggest that prominent retinal structural sequelae, especially in outer nuclear layer and photoreceptor layer, can be induced by a short duration of retinal detachment. Our findings also underscore the important role of initial retinal injuries that occur within the first several days on the long term structural prognosis. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01587794).