Association of macular and choroidal perfusion with long-term visual outcomes after macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Background/aims To examine the relationship between macular perfusion, as assessed using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), and long-term visual outcome after surgical repair of macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods A prospective study of 29 patients who had undergone successful surgical repair of macula-off RRD. OCTA imaging was performed at month 3 and repeated at months 6 and 12 after surgery. Associations between OCTA parameters including, foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, vessel density (VD) in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), choriocapillaris flow deficit features and logMAR best-corrected visual acuity (VA) were assessed using a random intercept hybrid linear mixed model. Results Over the 1-year follow-up, VA improved (0.025 logMAR/ month, 95% CI 0.015 to 0.035) and FAZ area decreased (−0.020 mm 2 /month, 95% CI −0.032 to −0.007). Better VA after surgery was significantly associated with denser superficial VD (β=0.079, 95% CI 0.026 to 0.131), lower number of choriocapillaris flow deficits (β=−0.087, 95% CI −0.154 to −0.021) and larger average size of choriocapillaris flow deficits (β=0.085, 95% CI 0.022 to 0.147), after adjusting for baseline VA, types of surgery and other factors. Conclusions OCTA measures of vascular perfusion in the macula may provide new pathophysiological insights and prognostic information related to macula-off RRD.