EVOLUTION AND PATTERNS OF CHOROIDAL THICKNESS CHANGES IN RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT.

Purpose: To evaluate the changes in choroidal thickness (CT) before and after a successful pars plana vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RD), and to compare the evolution of CT with respect to the extent of RD.

Methods: Fifty-four patients were divided into three groups: peripheral macula-on RD (>3 mm from the fovea; 14 eyes); paracentral macula-on RD (fovea-sparing; ≤3 mm from the fovea; 14 eyes); and macula-off RD (involving the fovea; 26 eyes). Choroidal thickness was measured at 1 month (M1) and 3 months (M3) postoperatively, preoperatively in macula-on RDs, with enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography, from the nasal side (+2.5 mm) to the temporal side (-2.5 mm) of the fovea.

Results: In peripheral macula-on RD, the intereye difference in CTs showed thickening throughout follow-up (subfoveally: preoperatively = 19.6% ± 43.9%, M1 = 22.9% ± 27.5%, M3 = 18.2% ± 35.6%). In paracentral macula-on RD, the intereye difference in CTs showed a thinning throughout follow-up (subfoveally: preoperatively = -7.8% ± 21.9%, M1 =-5.5% ± 26.1%, M3 = -9.3% ± 19.4%), as well as in the macula-off RD (subfoveally: M1 = -14.1% ± 18.7%, M3 = -9.9% ± 15%).

Conclusion: The extent of RD was related to the evolution of the CT before and after surgery. Further studies are necessary to clarify the relationship between the changes in CT and the effects of circulatory alterations, vitrectomy, and RD.