Significant correlation between retinal blood flow and visual acuity in recovery after vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous...

This study aimed to investigate differences in retinal blood flow leading to visual recovery in cases of macular detachment in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

Observational, retrospective case series.

We studied 64 eyes diagnosed with unilateral RRD with macular detachment that underwent pars plana vitrectomy from May 2010 to July 2015 at the Department of Ophthalmology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. We retrospectively measured visual acuity, blood pressure, intraocular pressure, and retinal blood flow using laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively.

LogMAR visual acuity significantly improved one month after surgery (p<0.001. Friedman test with post-hoc test Bonferroni correction). The average mean blur rate (MBR) significantly improved three months after surgery compared to before surgery (95.9±26.0%, p<0.001). A significant correlation was observed between logMAR visual acuity and MBR changes at 1 month (r=- 0.42, p=0.007), 3 months (r=- 0.46, p=0.003), 12 months (r=- 0.32, p=0.03).

When vitrectomy is performed for RRD, the retina is repositioned, resulting in significant improvements in visual acuity and retinal blood flow.

Visual acuity recovery is correlated with the recovery of retinal blood flow.