The effect of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment on retinal oxygenation

Little is known about the effects of retinal detachment on oxygen extraction from retinal vessels. The role of oxygen supply from the retinal vessels in a detached area has not previously been investigated in vivo in humans. Retinal oximetry is a non-invasive measurement of retinal oxygen saturation. The aim of this study was to investigate the alteration of the arterio-venous oxygen saturation in the retina during a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment using oximetry.

The study was a prospective observational study on patients with recent onset partial rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in 149 patients during the period May 2010 to December 2012. Oxygen saturation was measured in retinal vessels located in an area of attached retina but supplying an area of detached retina.

Retinal detachment resulted in significantly decreased retinal arterial oxygen saturation, increased retinal venous saturation and a decrease in arterio-venous saturation difference (Figure 2, p = 0.037, p = 0.031 and p = 0.00024, respectively, paired t-test), when compared to matched attached area in the fellow eye. In the detached retinal areas, there was a significant increase in retinal venous saturation and a decrease in arterio-venous saturation difference (Figure 3, p = 0.0019 and p = 0.044, respectively, paired t-test), when compared to attached retina in the same eye.

Our results demonstrated a significant decrease in arterio-venous saturation in detached retina. This could indicate that the retina has an ability to downregulate the metabolic activity thereby minimizing cell death and deterioration of the retinal layers or it might indicate cell death and decreased oxygen consumption.