Contrast Sensitivity after Pars Plana Vitrectomy: Comparison between Macula-On and Macula-Off Rhegmatogenous Retinal...

To evaluate the contrast sensitivity (CS) of eyes successfully repaired by vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with or without preoperative macular involvement.

In this retrospective, consecutive, interventional case series, 109 eyes received primary vitrectomy for RRD, of which 36 with at least 12 months of follow-up and a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≥1 at 12 months postoperatively were investigated. The main outcome measurements were BCVA and CS at 12 months postoperatively. Patients with macula-on RRD preoperatively were included in the macula-on group, and patients with macula-off RRD preoperatively were included in the macula-off group. The between-group difference in CS under evening vision conditions was measured with a Takagi glare tester CGT-2000 at 6 visual angles and 13 contrast levels with and without glare.

CS was significantly lower in the macula-off group for targets with visual angles of 1.6, 1.0, and 0.64° with glare (p < 0.05) and for the target with a visual angle of 0.64° without glare (p < 0.05).

CS in the higher spatial frequency range (especially with glare) is reduced in macula-off RRD patients with good postoperative BCVA compared to macula-on RRD patients with good postoperative BCVA.