Color vision and other parameters of macular function after retinal reattachment

Patients with a preoperatively detached macula and operated upon between October 1976 and July 1978 were analyzed for three parameters of macular function after surgical repair. Reattachment was achieved by cryopexy, an external sponge plombage and nondrainage. The observation period was a minimum of 1 year. Visual acuity increased in all patients with a maximum improvement in the first 3 months after macular reattachment. Color vision was postoperatively defective in every second patient. In the majority of cases it was a trito disturbance. The disturbance in color vision was most prominent in patients over 60 years old. During the period of 1 year, normalization of color vision occurred for the most part only in patients under 60 years of age. Metamorphopsia proved to be the most sensitive indicator of an episode of previous macular detachment. It occurred in every patient independently of age and was still present at the end of 1 year. It could be considered as a 'scar in the Amsler grid.' The occurrence of metamorphopsia was independent of whether subretinal fluid was drained or allowed to absorb spontaneously.