[Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: a postoperative study of the macula].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the structure and function of the macula following rhegmatogenous retinal detachment surgery.


METHODS
Prospective study of patients submitted to scleral buckle surgery or pneumatic retinopexy. The follow-up comprised a complete ophthalmologic exam and optical coherence tomography.


RESULTS
The sample was composed of 14 eyes (14 patients), 71.4% operated with the scleral buckle technique, and 28.6% with the pneumatic retinopexy. The age range was from 24 to 59 years (mean of 39.3 years). There was a negative correlation between the final visual acuity and age of patient (r=-0.64, p=0.0127) and between final vision and duration of detachment (r=-0.54, p=0.0447). There was a positive correlation between visual acuity at initial follow-up and that at the final follow-up (r=0.69, p=0.0059). The optical coherence tomography of the initial follow-up showed subclinical foveal detachment in four eyes (28.6% of cases); at the final follow-up the retina was applied by itself with improved vision in all eyes (p=0.031), regardless the time span until reapplication (p=0.5546).


CONCLUSIONS
The results show that the younger the patient and the earlier the surgical procedure, the better the final visual acuity. Furthermore, there is a positive correlation between initial and final postoperative vision and, all cases that presented foveal detachment on the optical coherence tomography at the initial follow-up had the retina flattened and the vision improved at the final examination.
Maia
Otacílio de Oliveira
OO
Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. omaiausp@uol.com.br
Takahashi
Walter Yukihiko
WY
Chizzotti Bonanomi
Maria Teresa Brizzi
MT
Arantes
Tiago Eugênio Faria e
TE
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012591:Scleral Buckling; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*