ROLE OF AXIAL LENGTH ON POSTSURGICAL RETINAL DISPLACEMENT IN EYES TREATED FOR RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT

This study examines the role of axial length in the detection of retinal displacement in patients treated for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with pars plana vitrectomy.

A total of 39 eyes from 39 patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy with tamponade using either 16% diluted hexafluoroethane gas (C 2 F 6 ) or 1000-centistoke silicone oil were included. Retinal displacement and its direction were assessed via blue-fundus autofluorescence imaging. The evaluated variables included AL, demographic data, white-to-white distance, trocar gauge (23 G vs. 25 G), type of retinopexy, intraoperative use of perfluorocarbon liquid, number of detached quadrants, type of tamponade, postoperative metamorphopsia, and best-corrected visual acuity.

Retinal displacement was detected in 28.2% of patients (11/39), with 90.9% (10 patients) having undergone gas tamponade ( P = 0.004). Axial length was significantly associated with the detection of retinal displacement ( P < 0.0001). Among the 21 patients who received gas tamponade, the incidence of displacement was 80% in those with AL >26 mm compared with 18.2% in those with AL ≤26 mm ( P = 0.018). The intraoperative use of perfluorocarbon liquid also showed a positive correlation with retinal displacement ( P = 0.002). Retinal displacement did not negatively affect best-corrected visual acuity but was significantly associated with postoperative metamorphopsia ( P < 0.0001).

Postoperative retinal displacement is significantly influenced by the type of tamponade, being more frequent with gas tamponade, and by the intraoperative use of perfluorocarbon liquid. Axial length was associated with the detection of retinal displacement, although its causal role remains uncertain.