MULTIFOCAL ELECTRORETINOGRAPHY AND SPECTRAL-DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IN MACULA-OFF RHEGMATOGENOUS RETINAL DETACHMENT: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: To analyze the temporal trends in structural changes using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and functional changes using multifocal electroretinogram after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment surgery.

Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled 69 patients with macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment who underwent successful surgery. Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity, multifocal electroretinogram evaluation of the central 5°, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography were recorded at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months (M) after surgery. The fellow eye served as the control group for multifocal electroretinogram parameters.

Results: Between M1 and M12, visual acuity improved from 64 to 75 letters (P = 0.001) and implicit time of N1 decreased from 27.8 to 25.2 milliseconds (P = 0.001), whereas the other parameters did not vary significantly. Amplitude and implicit time values did not reach normal values at M12. Alterations of the ellipsoid zone and the external limiting membrane decreased over time (P = 0.001). P1 implicit time correlated independently with the alteration of the external limiting membrane (P = 0.007).

Conclusion: Foveal wave amplitudes remain lower than normal values after successful surgery of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, whereas anatomical improvement was found for outer retinal abnormalities and subretinal edema fluid. Retinal recovery improves N1 implicit time over time. Disruption of external limiting membrane seems to be predictive of increased P1 implicit time.