Fovea-sparing retinal detachments: time to surgery and visual outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of the duration from initial evaluation to repair on outcomes for fovea-sparing rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).


METHODS
Retrospective, single-surgeon, consecutive case series.


METHODS
Medical records were reviewed for preoperative and intraoperative factors possibly associated with visual and anatomic outcomes for all patients undergoing scleral buckling procedure (SBP) for fovea-sparing, primary RRD between 1989 and 2004.


RESULTS
Fifty-five percent of 199 patients had symptoms for < or = 7 days, 83% had best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) > or = 20/40, and 33% had a RRD that had extended to within the macular arcade vessels. Eighty-five percent were operated within 3 days, including 56% within 24 hours. One case progressed to fovea-off status before surgery 4 days after initial evaluation (0.5%). The single-operation success rate was 88% and final anatomic success was 99.5% (1 patient refused reoperation). Eighty-six percent were examined postoperatively for at least 2 months; 73% had > or = 20/40 vision. The strongest predictor of postoperative BCVA was initial BCVA (r = 0.47; P < .001). There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative BCVA or single-operation success rate at any point within 3 days of initial examination. No statistically significant correlation was found between postoperative BCVA and duration of symptoms, RRD location, direction of the closest approach of the RRD to the fovea, or need for reoperation.


CONCLUSIONS
Progression to fovea-off status was rare in this series when a selectively urgent, but not strictly emergent, surgical approach was employed for fovea-sparing RRD.
Wykoff
Charles C
CC
Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 900 NW 17th Street, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Smiddy
William E
WE
Mathen
Tahira
T
Schwartz
Stephen G
SG
Flynn
Harry W
HW
Shi
Wei
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005584:Fovea Centralis; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012591:Scleral Buckling; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult