Drusen Regression after Macula-involving Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Repair.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of macula-involving rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair on drusen regression.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of patients with drusen who underwent macula-involving RRD repair. Longitudinal optical coherence tomography scans were reviewed by three graders, and each case was grouped into one of three categories: drusen regression, drusen persistence, or mixed.

Results: 14 eyes with drusen that underwent macula-involving RRD repair were identified. Surgical repair consisted of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in 7 eyes, combined PPV and scleral buckle in 6 eyes, and primary buckle with cryotherapy in 1 eye. Regression of drusen occurred in 6 eyes (43%), persistence of drusen in 5 eyes (36%), and 3 eyes were categorized as mixed (21%). One patient with drusen regression with long-term follow up resulted in geographic atrophy.

Conclusion: Although the course of drusen following repair of macula-involving RRDs was highly variable, roughly half of eyes demonstrated marked drusen regression.