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Updated: Jul 5, 2025
Author Spotlight: Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Published on: May 26, 2023
Baseline imaging characteristics and early structural changes in macula on rhegmatogenous retinal detachment
Alberto Quarta1, Matteo Gironi2, Maria Ludovica Ruggeri2
1Department of Sciences, Ophthalmology Clinic, National Center of High Technology in Ophthalmology, Gabriele D'Annunzio University, Via dei Vestini, 66100, Chieti, Italy. alberto.quarta.96@gmail.com.
Peripheral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) causes subclinical damage to photoreceptors and retinal perfusion, even when the macula is not involved. These findings in macula-on RRD suggest potential impacts on future visual function.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Retinal Diseases
- Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Background:
- Peripheral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) can lead to structural changes in the macula.
- The effects of non-macula-involving RRD on photoreceptors and retinal/choriocapillaris perfusion are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess photoreceptor integrity and perfusion in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and choriocapillaris (CC) in eyes with macula-on RRD.
- To identify subclinical structural and perfusion changes in eyes with RRD using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).
Main Methods:
- Analysis of en-face OCTA images segmented at the ellipsoid zone (EZ) level in 21 eyes with macula-on RRD and their fellow eyes.
- Calculation of "normalized" reflectivity as a biomarker for photoreceptor damage.
- Quantification of perfusion density (PD), vessel length density (VLD), and vessel diameter index (VDI) for SCP and DCP, and PDCC for choriocapillaris.
Main Results:
- Eyes with macula-on RRD showed significantly lower EZ "normalized" reflectivity compared to fellow eyes, indicating photoreceptor damage.
- Impaired perfusion was observed in the SCP and choriocapillaris of affected eyes compared to controls.
- Subclinical changes in photoreceptors, SCP, and CC were detected in macula-on RRD.
Conclusions:
- Macula-on RRD is associated with subclinical alterations in photoreceptors, SCP, and CC.
- Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine if these early changes affect post-operative macular function.
